La venganza honrosa

't Quaedt syn Meester loondt

Act I. Astolfo complains to Ricardo about his misfortune. He is distraught over the marriage of Porcia to Norandino, the Duke of Milan, according to her father’s wishes. Ricardo tells Astolfo that Porcia loves him, not Norandino, her husband.

Ricardo asks for the hand of Emilia, Astolfo’s sister.

A servant announces that Porcia is giving away alms.

Ricardo tells Astolfo that Porcea has asked him to appear in beggar's clothes to talk to him.

Several beggars enter to ask for alms. Porcea enters, speaking about poverty. Enter Astolfo, dressed as a beggar.

She asks each beggar what his problem is and gives them each a coin.

She recognizes him immediately.

When she asks Astolfo what he wants, he says he wants vengeance.

Astolfo tells her he is sick in his heart because of her marriage. She gives him a coin wrapped in a paper.

After she leaves, he reads the message in which she says there is no remedy because anything they do will cause dishonor. Astolfo is very upset.

Astolfo reads the letter, in which Porcea says that she married against her will but that she shouldn't leave her husband. She tells him to come by while her husband is off hunting. Astolfo knows he shouldn’t pursue a married woman, but he cannot resist.

Norandino complains that his wife doesn't love him. He is jealous of the poor people because they at least receive something from her. Porcia hides her loathing of him, and decides to go ahead with her affair with Astolfo, honor be damned. Ricardo enters to arrange a tryst.

Norandino discusses Porcea’s actions with a servant. He doesn't understand why Porcea gives out the alms himself. He is jealous. Porcea enters and Norandino accuses her. She says she just loves the poor. Norandino asks her to stay and presses her to keep her marriage vows. Porcea says that no good can come from a bad marriage. The servant tells Norandino that everything is ready for the hunt. The men leave, and Porcea confesses her love for Astolfo and the mistake her father made by marrying her to Norandino. Ricardo enters and tells her that Astolfo is waiting for her.

The Duke of Mantua says that his daughter’s marriage has not turned out as he hoped.

A servant recommends that he tell Astolfo to leave Mantua. Norandino plans to go hunting.

The Duke of Mantua finds out that Astolfo, the Duke of Ferrara, has run off with his daughter. Mantua and his men leave to exact punishment. Later, Norandino is hunting when Mantua tells him about his wife. The two men argue over who should avenge this mischief. Norandino insists on going alone, and Mantua offers him his Duchy if he should kill Porcia. His reputation and honor are at stake.

Norandino says the either they will never see him again or he will return with his honor restored.

Norandino and Fabricio discuss Norandino’s dishonor and revenge.

Mantua laments his bad fortune and promises revenge against Ferrara.

Astolfo and Porcea glory in being together. Porcea regrets having had to marry Norandino. Astolfo swears that he will do everything to keep Porcea. Astolfo and Porcea are seen in the company of Cupid.

Act II. Norandino discusses with Fabricio his love for his honor and what he can do. Enter Otavio who is fighting with Horacio because Horacio stole Otavio’s woman.

Norandino, hiding, says he must kill them because they stole a woman.

Norandino says he will help Octavio, who is outnumbered 3 to 1.

Horacio, defending himself, leaves with Norandino. Fabricio returns alone, saying that one of the men was killed.

Fabricio and Otavio say that they will oppose Astolfo in his enterprise. Exeunt. Horacio then pleads his case to Astolfo. Astolfo asks that the criminals be brought to him. Ricardo enters with Norandino, whose hands are bound.

Norandino and Fabricio drive the others away, leaving only Octavio. Octavio tells Fabricio about Astolfo and Porcea, and the bad marriage arranged by Mantua. Octavio says that women are more subject to passion than men. Octavio tells Fabricio that Mantua is also hunting not far away.

Astolfo accuses Norandino of thievery.

Norandino says there are thieves in Mantua, too. Astolfo commands Norandino to go with Ricardo.

Norandino says Astolfo stole his love, and he accuses Porcea of faithlessness.

Norandino is led off as a prisoner. He will let Porcea condemn him to death.

Porcea, alone, says that she is forgetting Norandino, that her marriage was forced on her against her will. Enter the Governor of Ferrara to tell her that Astolfo has returned from the hunt with a prisoner. Norandino is brought in and presented to Porcea. Norandino says that a faithless woman caused his misfortune. Porcea says justice must be done and she will administer justice. She asks to be alone with the robber. All exit except Porcea and Norandino. They exchange arguments.

Norandino takes out a cloth and tries to suffocate her. She cries out. Porcia sentences him to be executed as a highwayman.

They talk, not in pleasantries, about their conflict. He accuses her; she accuses him. He tries to strangle her when the Governor enters. The Governor takes Norandino away.

Octavio complains about the decline of the age. He tells the governor that the robber saved his life, and asks for Norandino's freedom. The governor will think about it.

Porcia rationalizes her actions because she says she knew it was Norandino. The governor tries to intervene for Norandino, but Porcia persists and they put the garrote on him. He falls, apparently dead.

Astolfo and Porcea discuss Norandino’s sentence. Porcea says that no one in Ferrara knows him. They can have another put to death and let Norandino go free. The Governor leads in Norandino, with a rope around his neck. Norandino says heaven will punish them. Porcea wants him dead; Astolfo is surprised at so much cruelty in a woman. Porcea and Astolfo leave. The Governor again mentions Porcea’s cruelty. Exeunt. An angel appears to counter Norandino’s death.

Fabricio is distraught about Norandino’s death and prepares to kill himself. The Governor interrupts him, and explained that he spared Norandino’s life. Norandino revives. They plan to bury a dead man in Norandino’s place.

Fabricio enters and complains about Porcea’s cruelty and faithlessness. The Governor finds out Norandino is alive and calls him a second Lazarus. Norandino comes to, and thanks the Governor. The executioner didn’t really strangle him. The Governor saved him as a service.

Norandino swears to go to Ferrara and wreak his revenge dressed as a bricklayer. Meanwhile, Porcea and Astolfo congratulate themselves.

Porcia and Astolfo announce the marriage of Ricardo and Emilia.

Astolfo is preparing for war with Milan. Astolfo talks with his sister, Emilia, about her possible marriage to Ricardo. Fabricio enters with a servant to discuss the upcoming construction. Emilia and Ricardo are left to discuss their upcoming marriage. Emilia says that she does not love Ricardo. She leaves, and Ricardo complains about her lack of love, her cruelty.

Act III. Fabricio and Norandino enter dressed as masons. Emilia overhears the two talk of their plot. Norandino flirts with Emilia. Emilia suspects Norandino is a nobleman. He is falling in love with her. Ricardo notices Emilia’s interest in Norandino and chides her for it. Astolfo knows of the troops amassing against him and decides to have the walls of the city raised. Astolfo and Fabricio discuss the construction. Porcia says that among the workers she saw a man who looked remarkably like Norandino. When Norandino enters, Astolfo and Porcia question him but he maintains that he is only a workman named "Rodrigo."

To prove it, Astolfo embraces Porcia in front of him. Norandino goes berserk.

Astolfo kisses Porcia to test "Rodrigo."

Norandino is very jealous, but he doesn’t reveal himself. Astolfo and Ricardo leave to talk. Norandino talks to Porcea. In a jealous rage, he draws his dagger and steps toward Porcea, but Emilia enters, allowing Porcea to escape. Norandino tells her that he is disgusted by Porcea, and he pledges his love to Emilia. Emilia leaves; Norandino is disappointed that he didn’t kill Porcea, but he pledges that he will.

Astolfo calls in Fabricio and says that he wants Rodrigo (Norandino) killed as a traitor.

Astolfo talks to Fabricio and says that he wants Rodrigo killed for seducing his sister, Emilia.

Fabricio advises Astolfo to retire to his room so that Fabricio can kill Norandino more efficiently. Fabricio tells Norandino about Astolfo’s plan, and Norandino swears to kill Astolfo as well.

There is a spectacle of Astolfo and Porcea decapitated by Norandino and Fabricio respectively. Norandino places the heads on a dish and leaves something written on their bodies.

Mantua is laying siege to the city in revenge for Norandino’s death. The Duke swears to punish Porcea with her death. Back in the palace, Emilia has a long soliloquy about what is going on. Ricardo enters to tell her that he found Porcia and Astolfo with their heads cut off along with a note saying that Norandino did it and that if anyone wanted to complain he would be in the camp of the Duke of Mantua. Emilia is amazed that Rodrigo is Norandino and that he has killed her brother. In the Duke’s camp, Norandino and Fabricio enter carrying the heads of the dead lovers.

Ricardo enters to protest the deaths. Before an explanation is given, however, Emilia exacts a wedding promise from Norandino. This satisfies Ricardo.

Mantua says that he thought Norandino was dead, and Norandino says that he was almost dead, but that God saved him. Mantua is shocked, but he approves of the actions. Fabricio removes the heads from the stage; when he returns he says that Emilia would like to speak. Emilia does not come to press for justice for her brother’s death but to swear her love for Norandino. They promise to marry.

Norandino makes Fabricio governor of Milan, and the Duke fulfills his promise to give Norandino his inheritance by giving Norandino and Emilia the Duchy of Mantua as well as those of Milan and Ferrara.