It was easy to see that between such a ruler and such a nation once brought together strife must come: but that the strife came as it did and ended as it did was due above all to the character of the king.
[Sidenote: John] "Foul as it is, hell itself is defiled by the fouler presence of John." The terrible verdict of his contemporaries has passed into the sober judgement of history.

Externally John possessed all the quickness, the vivacity, the cleverness, the good-humour, the social charm which distinguished his house.

His worst enemies owned that he toiled steadily and closely at the work of administration.

He was fond of learned men like Gerald of Wales.

He had a strange gift of attracting friends and of winning the love of women.