Pope Party
- Francisco, Lodovico, Gasparo, and six Ambassadors all enter. They're at the Vatican. It's about to get holy up in here.
- Francisco tells Lodovico to guard the conclave (gathering of cardinals) so no one will disturb the cardinals as they vote on a pope. Lodovico agrees.
- Gasparo asks why the ambassadors are so well-dressed today, and Francisco explains that they're dressed in the clothing of the different orders of knights to which they belong.
- As servants come to bring dinner into the cardinals, Lodovico searches under the dishes to make sure that no one is sneaking in any bribes or secret messages to influence the election (as the English Ambassador explains to the French Ambassador).
- But the cardinals turn away their meals—they're in the middle of the actual election of the pope.
- In a moment, the cardinal of Aragon steps out and announces the election of the pope in Latin: the new pope is Pope Paul IV… who is actually the same as Monticelso.
- At the same time, a servant comes up and tells Francisco that Vittoria and Brachiano have escaped. Francisco orders the matron arrested, and regrets sending the letter since it apparently gave Brachiano his own escape plan. He swears that he'll get his revenge, again.
- Monticelso (now, Pope Paul IV) arrives in state. He says that he is officially excommunicating Vittoria and Brachiano from the Church and banishing them and all their people from entering Rome. All exit except for Francisco and Lodovico.
- Francisco makes sure Lodovico's ready to get revenge. He also tells Lodovico that he (Francisco) is going to help out, and get some of the glory of the deed. Francisco exits.
- Monticelso re-enters and asks Lodovico why Francisco worked to get him pardoned and reverse his banishment. Lodovico says Francisco must be a generous dude.
- Monticelso knows there's more to it than that and keeps pressing, unsatisfied when Lodovico claims that Francisco was just telling him about a horse and nothing else a moment ago.
- Monticelso condemns Lodovico, saying that he knows he's out for some kind of murderous deed. Lodovico says that he'll tell him—but as a confessing sinner, so that Monticelso will be bound by religion not to tell.
- Lodovico admits that he pursued Isabella with lust, though she wasn't aware of it, and wants to avenge her murderer. Monticelso says this is damnable and denounces him before exiting. Lodovico is a little surprised, since he thought Monticelso wanted to avenge Camillo's murder.
- Francisco re-enters with a servant. He tells the servant to give a thousand ducats to Lodovico, and tell him they come from the Pope (which they do). Francisco exits.
- The servant gives Lodovico the money. Lodovico is surprised to learn they come from the Pope, and marvels at how crafty Monticelso is. He seems to admire that Monticelso is able to act one way in public and another way in private. Lodovico exits, revved up with the urge to get revenge.