Rants and Raves
- This scene takes place at Vittoria's arraignment. Francisco, Monticelso, six Ambassadors, Brachiano, Vittoria, Zanche, Flamineo, Marcello, a lawyer, and a guard all enter.
- Monticelso bids Brachiano take a seat—but Brachiano, being an unwelcome guest, says he brought his own seat.
- The lawyer starts to plead against Vittoria in Latin—but Vittoria insists on his using a language the people in the courtroom audience can understand (even though she personally knows Latin).
- Then, the lawyer launches into a plea in incomprehensible English laden with joke-legal jargon. Francisco thanks him for his time and dismisses him.
- Monticelso says he'll argue against Vittoria in plainer language. They trade barbs and Vittoria says it's inappropriate for a cardinal to act like a lawyer.
- Monticelso compares her to the "Apples of Sodom"—which look nice but turn to ashes when you try to eat them. He claims Vittoria held riotous feasts and parties, calling her a "whore."
- Monticelso then launches into a tirade about "whores," claiming, basically, that they're evil, fake, counterfeit people who destroy everything.
- The French Ambassador comments to the English that Vittoria has "liv'd ill." The English Ambassador agrees but says the cardinal's too bitter.
- Francisco, sensing the need for a reasonable voice, points out how implausible Camillo's vaulting accident was—foul play needs to be involved. Monticelso says Vittoria doesn't seem to feel too bad about it, causing her to object.
- Vittoria's bold defense impresses the English Ambassador. She tells them that all their slanders can't damage her actual goodness—they're making her into a boogeyman, more or less.
- Monticelso points out that Brachiano was staying in her house the night Camillo was murdered, but Brachiano says he was there out of charity, not lust. He was just looking out for Vittoria, since Monticelso was holding her and Camillo in his debt (which he was). Brachiano angrily denounces Monticelso while defending himself—and then leaves.
- Francisco, trying to be more reasonable, says he doesn't think Vittoria is guilty of murder—but she does seem guilty of adultery. Vittoria is suspicious of his intentions.
- Monticelso produces a letter showing that the Duke tried to seduce Vittoria—but she says she resisted his temptations. He also shows that the Duke gave her money, but Vittoria says it was just to keep Camillo free from prison (for the debt he owed Monticelso, apparently).
- Monticelso complains that she was a drain on Camillo's finances and brought no money in dowry. He also dismisses any charges against Flamineo and Marcello—they don't have enough evidence to convict them.
- Acting as judge as well, Monticelso sentences Vittoria to life in a house of convertites—or "a house of penitent whores."
- Vittoria claims that they've perverted justice and that she'll make her place of imprisonment seem more honest than the Pope's palace. She exits. Court dismissed, bring in the dancing lobsters.
A Death in the Family
- Brachiano enters, and in a veiled way, tells Francisco that Isabella is dead, offering his condolences. Francisco doesn't know what Brachiano's saying, and Brachiano leaves.
- Flamineo says, in an aside, that he'll pretend to be mad in order to avoid any unwelcome questions.
- Giovanni and Lodovico enter. Giovanni is dressed in black, and Lodovico asks him why. Giovanni reveals that Isabella has died.
- They mourn and discuss death. Francisco tells Giovanni that the dead sleep until God wakes them. Giovanni wishes his mother could sleep forever to escape her grief, and says that she must have loved him since she personally nursed him (not common practice at the time). He exits.
- Francisco is grief stricken too. All exit.