De Gray remained close to John for most of the bishop's life,Turner King John p. 46 and one of the King's chief fundraisers. Sidney Painter, a historian and biographer of John, said of de Gray that he was "probably the only man whom John trusted absolutely and without reservation for the whole period of their association".Quoted in Turner King John p. 46 The medievalist Ralph Turner called de Gray "one of John's greatest favourites",Turner King John p. 61 and another of John's biographers, , described de Gray as "one of the best brains of the royal administration". Matthew Paris, a medieval writer, called him an "evil counsellor",Quoted in Haines "Gray, John de" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and blamed many of the difficulties of John's later reign on de Gray's failed election to Canterbury.
De Gray remained close to John for most of the bishop's lifeTurner King John p 46 and one of the King's chief fundraisers Sidney Painter a historian and biographer of John said of de Gray that he was "probably the only man whom John trusted absolutely and without reservation for the whole period of their association"Quoted in Turner King John p 46 The medievalist Ralph Turner called de Gray "one of John's greatest favourites"Turner King John p 61 and another of John's biographers  described de Gray as "one of the best brains of the royal administration" Matthew Paris a medieval writer called him an "evil counsellor"Quoted in Haines "Gray John de" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and blamed many of the difficulties of John's later reign on de Gray's failed election to Canterbury