Even Philip’s enemies, the Venetians, testified to the change of his demeanour during his stay in England; and Soriano, the outgoing ambassador, said that from that time forward, even in Spain, his gentle courtesy and kindness were continued habitually, whilst Michaeli, the new Venetian ambassador, who was the staunch ally of Noailles, was emphatic in his testimony of Philip’s affability in England, and says that his conduct towards his wife was such as to make any woman love him: “for in truth no one in the world could have been a better or more affectionate husband.” Yet another Venetian envoy, Damula, accredited to the Emperor, wrote that on disembarking in England the Prince was “remarked by everybody for his graciousness, without any stiffness or assumption of royal ceremony, mixing with the courtiers rather as a comrade than as a king.” Certain it is, with public opinion in England strongly unfavourable and in a perfect panic of apprehension, Philip’s tact and graciousness to a great extent overcame the prejudice against him, and he became in a few months personally quite popular, whilst he contrived almost immediately to gain his wife’s devoted affection. The over-coloured picture of Philip as a trembling, seasick creature,[50] in daily fear of poison, which Froude drew from the letters of Noailles and the account of the Venetian, Baoardo, needs much modification to be near the impartial truth; for though, as we have seen, Philip looked upon the marriage as a sacrifice to reasons of State, as undoubtedly it was, he bore his cross gaily and like a well-bred gentleman. If he had done otherwise, indeed, as he was quite clever enough to recognise, the sacrifice itself would have been useless.