There is also an underplot to the play. Rogero and Claridiana, between whom an hereditary feud exists, celebrate their marriage on the same day. As they return from the church an altercation arises between the bridegrooms, but by the intervention of friends they are at length induced to declare that they will lay aside their hatred. These professions are marked with little sincerity, for the new-made friends are intent upon cornuting one another. The wives, who are excellent friends, take counsel together and devise a scheme by which the husbands, while taking their lawful pleasure, imagine that they are tasting the sweets of adultery. Claridiana, announcing that he has gone to his farm in the country, repairs by appointment to the house of Rogero, where, under the impression that he is enjoying Rogero's wife Thais, he lies with his own wife Abigail; and Rogero, under Claridiana's roof lies with Thais in the belief that he is clipping Abigail. While these night-sports are in progress, Mendoza, nephew of the Duke Amago, holds a clandestine interview with the widowed Lady Lentulus. As he is mounting to her chamber, the rope-ladder breaks. Injured by the fall, he drags himself some distance from the house to a spot where he is discovered by the watch. It is supposed that he has met with foul play; a search is instituted; Rogero is discovered by the watch in the house of Claridiana, and Claridiana in the house of Rogero. Charged before the Duke Amago with the murder of Mendoza they declare themselves guilty--preferring to be hanged as murderers rather than to be derided as cuckolds. Mendoza, recovering from the effects of his fall, asserts (in order to save the honour of the Lady Lentulus) that he met his injuries in trying to steal some jewels from her house. The Duke, who is in a maze of wonder at the strange statements and confessions, condemns the three prisoners to be executed, hoping by this means to extort from them the truth. On the day fixed for the execution Thais and Abigail make an explanation to the Duke; and their husbands--finding that they have not been cuckolded--are glad to spare the hangman his labour. How Mendoza fares is not stated. _DRAMATIS PERSONÆ_.[126] AMAGO, _Duke of Venice_. DUKE OF MEDINA. ROBERTO, _Count of Cyprus_. Count MASSINO. GUIDO, _Count of Arsena_. GNIACA, _Count of Gazia_. MENDOZA FOSCARI, _nephew to_ AMAGO. Signior MIZALDUS. CLARIDIANA. ROGERO. DON SAGO, _a Spanish Colonel_. Cardinal. ISABELLA, _the Insatiate Countess_. Lady LENTULUS, _a widow_. ABIGAIL, _wife to_ CLARIDIANA. THAIS, _wife to_ ROGERO. ANNA, _waiting-woman to_ ISABELLA. Senators, captain, lieutenant, soldiers, messenger, executioner, &c. SCENE--VENICE AND PAVIA. [126] There is no list of characters in the old editions. THE INSATIATE COUNTESS. ACT I.