three Gentlewomen, and before the matter did begin, the Duke caused also the thre prisoners to be brought thither. Thither also came many other Gentlemen, with great desire to see the end of those euents. Silence being made the Duke turning his face to the women, sayd vnto them: “Ye Gentlewomen haue made requeste by supplycatyon to graunt you publike audyence accordyng to Iustice, for that you do alleage that Law and order doth so require, and that euery wel ordred common wealth condemneth no subiecte withoute due answere by order of lawe. Beholde therefore, that we desirous to do Iustice, bee ready in Place to heare what ye can say.” The two husbands were very angrie and wrathfull against their wiues, and the more their stomackes did fret with choler and disdayne, by how mutch they saw their impudente and shamelesse wiues wyth sutch audacity to appeare before the maiesty of a counsel so honourable and dreadfull, as though they had ben the most honeste and chast Women of the World. The two honeste wiues perceyued the anger and displeasure of their husbands, and for all that were not afrayde ne yet dismayde, but smyling to themselues and somewhat mouing their heads in decente wyse seemed vnto them as though they had mocked them. Anselmo more angry and impacient then Girolamo, brake out into sutch furie, as had it not ben for the maiesty of the place, and the Companye of People to haue stayed him, woulde haue kylled them: and seyng he was not able to hurt them, he began to vtter the vylest Woords, that he possibly could deuise agaynst them. Mistresse Isotta hearing hir husband so spytefully to spit forth his poyson in the presence of that honourable assemblye, conceiued courage, and crauinge licence of the Duke to speake, with merrye countenance and good vttrance began thus to say her mind: “Most excellent Prince, and yee right honourable Lordes, I doe perceyue how my deare husbande vncomely and very dishonestly doth vse himselfe agaynst me in this noble company, thincking also that mayster Girolamo Bembo is affected with like rage and minde agaynst this Gentlewoman mystresse Lucia hys wyfe, although more temperate in words, he do not expresse the same. Agaynst whom if no reply be made, it may seeme that he doth well and hath spoken a truth, and that we by silence do condemne our selues to be those most wicked women whom hee alleageth vs to be. Wherefore by your gratious pardon and licence (most honourable) in the behalfe of mistresse Lucia and my selfe, for our defence I purpose to declare the effect of my mynde, although my purpose be cleane altered from that I had thought to say, being now iustly prouoked by the vnkinde behauiour of him whom I loue better than my selfe, and whose disloyalty, had hee beene silent and not so rashly runne to the ouerthrow of me and my good name, coulde I haue concealed, and onely touched that which had concerned the Purgation and sauegard of them both, which was the onely intent and meaning of