The Dumbfounded King

The king and Count of Peña Andrada are on a getaway at the royal court when the King stumbles upon the naked body of Marfisa, a town prostitute, in a pose that echoes the Rokeby Venus. The shocking sight unsettles the king and awakens a curiosity about the private lives of those around him. This moment sets off a chain of decisions that challenge moral norms at the court.

Spurred by his discovery, the king resolves to see his wife, Queen Elisabeth of France, naked. He weighs the personal scandal against his sovereign prerogative, a choice that promises a dangerous spectacle within the palace.

The Grand Inquisitor convenes a council of theologians to debate the king's claim. On one side Fray Villaescusa argues the claim is a serious sin that could bring punishment on the country. On the other side Father Almeida counters that the ruler's private desires may be tolerable if they serve the common good.

Villaescusa insists that morality must constrain royal power, warning that the king's desire could have dire consequences for the realm. He frames the issue as a sin that must be judged and restrained.

Father Almeida argues that the luck and stability of the governed depend on effective governance, not on the ruler's private passions. He suggests the king's desire is a personal matter that should not destabilize the state.

Despite the theological debate, the Queen is willing to accommodate the king's wishes, but intrigues and power plays frustrate any immediate fulfillment. Court schemers exploit the situation to maintain control.

Villaescusa and his minions thwart the king's attempt to reach the queen, prolonging the clash between ecclesiastical authority and royal prerogative. The struggle keeps the couple apart and delays any resolution.

With the help of the Jesuit Father Almeida and the Count of la Peña Andrada, the King finally meets the queen alone in the monastery of San Plácido and achieves his goal. The encounter finally resolves the central sexual dispute that sparked the crisis.

Meanwhile the Count-Duke of Olivares fears he will be punished by God for infertility and seeks advice from Villaescusa. Villaescusa tells him that the pleasure during sexual acts is to blame and offers a controversial solution.

The suggested solution is that Olivares and his wife copulate in the choir of the church of San Plácido in front of the choir nuns. The plan is framed as a divine remedy that will pacify both God and the king's people.

After the act, Olivares receives two letters announcing the Indian fleet's arrival at Cadiz and a victory in Flanders. The news seems to confirm the plan's apparent success.

Villaescusa claims the happy ending is due to sacrifices endured by all, but the Count-Duke counters that the timing shows the fleet arrived two days earlier, the same day the king pursued his affair.

The Count-Duke sends Villaescusa to Rome with a sealed letter asking him not to let him go until he changes his attitude. This marks a tense attempt to control the cleric and steer religious influence.