To whom the king said, he had doone so much as he promised to doo, that
was, to persuade him so far as he might. [Sidenote: A prettie diuision.]
At length, when he would haue had the king to haue dealt further in the
matter, the king (to stop his mouth) tendered backe to him the one halfe
of his monie, & reteined the other to himselfe.
[Sidenote: King William suspected of infidelitie.] Moreouer, to increase
the suspicion which men had of his infidelitie, it is written, that he
caused a disputation to be kept betwixt the Jewes & the christians,
promising that if the Jewes ouercame the christians in argument, he
would be a Jew: but the Jewes being ouercome, and receiuing the foile,
would not confess their errors, but alledged, that by factions (and not
by reason) they were put to the worse. Howbeit, what opinion soeuer he
had of the Jewes faith, it appeereth by writers that he doubted in manie
points of the religion then in credit. [Sidenote: _Eadmerus._] For he
sticked not to protest openlie, that he beleeued no saint could profit
anie man in the Lords sight, and therefore neither would he nor anie
other that was wise (as he affirmed) make intercession, either to Peter,
or to anie other for helpe. [Sidenote: Praieng to saincts.]
[Sidenote: His stature. Whereof he tooke his surname Rufus.] He was of
stature not so tall as the common sort of men, red of haire, whereof he
tooke his surname Rufus, somwhat big of bellie, and not readie of toong,
speciallie in his anger, for then his vtterance was so hindered, that he
could scarselie shew the conceits of his mind: he died without issue,
and vsed concubines all the daies of his life.
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