At the council-board he had the ability still to give himself the best counsel, but the unhappy modesty to diffide in it; indeed his only fault; for modesty is a paradox in majesty, and humility a solecism in supremacy.    From Wordnik.com.  [Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions. Vol. III.] Reference

At the council-table he had ability enough to give himself the best counsel, but the unhappy modesty to diffide in it, indeed his only fault; for modesty is a paradox in majesty, and humility is a solecism in supremacy.    From Wordnik.com.  [Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions. Vol. VII.] Reference

Wherefore, if this question were to be decided upon the ground of authority, the reality of the plot would be admitted; and it must be confessed, that, with regard to facts remote, in respect either of time or place, wise men generally diffide in their own judgment, and defer to that of those who have had a nearer view of them.    From Wordnik.com.  [History of the Early Part of the Reign of James the Second] Reference

Oh! which of us can now diffide.    From Wordnik.com.  [The History of Thomas Ellwood Written By Himself] Reference

What! diffide in me.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Comedies of William Congreve Volume 1 [of 2]] Reference

That, likewise, which possibly made him to diffide in his own skill and capacity, notwithstanding his being an expert and understanding lawyer, for anything that I know to the contrary, was the knowledge and experience which he had of the antinomies, contrarieties, antilogies, contradictions, traversings, and thwartings of laws, customs, edicts, statutes, orders, and ordinances, in which dangerous opposition, equity and justice being structured and founded on either of the opposite terms, and a gap being thereby opened for the ushering in of injustice and iniquity through the various interpretations of self-ended lawyers, being assuredly persuaded that the infernal calumniator, who frequently transformeth himself into the likeness of a messenger or angel of light, maketh use of these cross glosses and expositions in the mouths and pens of his ministers and servants, the perverse advocates, bribing judges, law-monging attorneys, prevaricating counsellors, and other such-like law-wrestin.    From Wordnik.com.  [Gargantua and Pantagruel, Illustrated, Book 3] Reference