His personality needs indeed complete reconstruction in the popular mind, which misconceives him a rough frontiersman having few or none of the social graces.

In point of fact he came into the world a gentleman, a leader, a knight-errant who captivated women and dominated men.
I shared when a young man the common belief about him.

But there is ample proof of the error of this.

From middle age, though he ever liked a horse race, he was a regular if not a devout churchman.

He did not swear at all, "by the Eternal" or any other oath.