Publisher's Synopsis
The White Devil opens with Lodovico, a murderous Italian count, being informed by his two friends Gasparo and Antonelli of his banishment from Rome. Lodovico is enraged, but he agrees to leave, and gives his friends money to work towards securing his pardon.Elsewhere, the Duke of Brachiano visits the house of Camillo with the intention of seducing his beautiful wife, Vittoria Corombona. Aided by her social-climbing brother Flamineo and her Moor servant Zanche, Vittoria allows Brachiano to secretly visit her. He gives her a jewel, and she tells him of a dream she had wherein her husband and his wife tried to kill her. Brachiano promises to protect her. Suddenly, Vittoria's mother, Cornelia, steps out of the shadows. She criticizes Brachiano's and Vittoria's affair, cursing them and her family.In Act 2, Francisco de Medici, the Duke of Florence, welcomes home his sister and Brachiano's wife, Isabella. Despite her husband's infidelities, Isabella pleads with Francisco to be kind to Brachiano. She leaves, and Brachiano enters. Francisco recruits Cardinal Monticelso to chastise Brachiano for his infidelities. Threats of war between Brachiano and Francisco are made. After Giovanni, Isabella and Brachiano's son, comes on stage, Francisco and Brachiano seem to reconcile, and their threatening talk of war subside. Monticelso and Francisco leave, and Isabella approaches Brachiano. He quarrels with her despite her placating nature, and he cruelly divorces her. Isabella is unhappy, but she offers to take responsibility for instigating the divorce since she has justifiable cause (his infidelities), and he doesn't. Monticelso and Francisco re-enter to find Isabella yelling at Brachiano for his involvement with Vittoria, and for divorcing him. They scold her for being a jealous woman, and she leaves.