theyr husbandes, to make humble sute for their preseruation, who were like to be berieued of their greatest comforts. But come we again to declare the last act of this Comical discourse. These maried Women, after this chaunce befell, vpon their husbandes imprysonment, began to be abhorred of their Friendes and Parentes, for that they were suspected to be dishoneste, by reason whereof dolefully lamenting their Misfortune, notwithstandynge their owne conscience voyde of faulte, dyd byd them to be of good cheere and comfort. And when the daye of execution came, they dyd theyr Friends and Parents to vnderstand that their conceiued opinyon was vntrue, and prayed them to forbeare their disdain and malice, till the truth should be throughly manifested, assuring them that in the End their owne innocencie and the guiltlesse cryme of their Husbands should openly be reuealed to the Worlde. In the meane time they made request vnto their Friendes, that one of the Lordes called Auogadori might be admitted to vnderstande their case, the rest to be referred to themselues, wherein they had no neede either of Proctor or Aduocate. This request seemed verye straunge to their friends, deeming their case to be shameful and abhominable: neuertheles diligently they accomplyshed their request and vnderstandyng that the Counsell of the Dieci had commytted the matter wholy to the Duke, they made a supplicatyon vnto hym in the name of the three Gentlewomen, wherein they craued nothing else but theyr matter might be hearde. The Duke perceiuying hys aduise like to take effect, assigned them a Day, commaundinge them at that tyme before hym and the Lords of the Councell and all the College of the estate to appeare. The Day being come, all the Lordes assembled, desirous to see to what issue this matter would grow. On the morning the three Gentlewomen honestly accompanied with other Dames, went to the Palace, and goynge along the streate of San Marco the people began to vtter many raylyng words against them: some cried out (as we see by vnstable order the vulgare people in like cases vse to do) and doinge a certain curtisy by way of disdain and mockery: “Behold the honest women, that without sending their husbands out of Venice, haue placed them in the Castell of Cornetto, and yet the arrante Whoores bee not ashamed to shewe them selues abrode, as thoughe they hadde done a thynge that were Honeste and prayse worthye.” Other shot forth theyr Boltes, and wyth theyr Prouerbes proceedyng from their malicious Mouthes thwited the pore Women at their pleasure. Other also seeyng Mystresse Gismonda in their Company, thought that she went to declame against maister Aloisio Foscari, and none of them all hapned on the trouth. Arryued at the pallace, ascending the marble staires or steps of the same, they were brought into the great hal, wher the Duke appointed the matter to be heard. Thither repaired the friends and those of nearest kin to the