Renzo, a nobleman from Padua, is summoned by the Doge of Venice and leaves his beautiful wife, Nella, under the care of the Paduan governor, Ciano della Bella, during his absence. In the peace of the castle, Ciano and Nella fall in love, something that Loredano, the jester, notices immediately, and plans to use this information to get even with Ciano. When the lattest takes Nella to his house in Venice one night, Loredano alerts Renzo and leads him to the house of the secret rendezvous.