He says of himself, and justly, "that he was incapable of dissimulation" xxvi.
His personal morality was irreproachable, except that he inherited the Plantagenet taste for crooked courses and dissimulation in political affairs; even in this respect the king's reputation has suffered unduly at the hands of Matthew Paris, whose literary skill is only equalled by his malice.
It is true that in addressing the Christian people he used different language from that which he employed to the cultured; but there was no dissimulation in that - on the contrary, it was a requirement of his system.
He was, however, full of vindictiveness, dissimulation and treachery, and there can be little doubt that in his historic conflict with Warren Hastings unworthy personal motives played a leading part.
Adept as she was in the most exquisite delicacy of dissimulation, the most salient note of her original disposition was daring rather than subtlety.