First, that Demosthenes was not bribed by Harpalus.
The people called it the shameful peace of Northampton, and firmly believed that he had been bribed by the Scots.
It was saved partly by the courage of his wife, Theodora, and partly by the timely prodigality of Narses, who stole out into the capital, and with large sums of money bribed the leaders of the "blue" faction, which was aforetime loyal to the emperor, to shout as of old "Justiniane Auguste to vincas."
In 1200 King John, bribed by the burgesses, confirmed this charter, but in 1201, bribed by the successor of Richard de Waterville, quashed it as injurious to the dignity of the church of Whitby.
Throughout his reign he respected the claim of the Cortes that no new taxation should be raised without its consent, but as he had to deal only with the representatives of eighteen cities, who could generally be bribed, he rarely failed to secure what he demanded.
