The Duke of Andalusia has two sons, the older Roderick, and the younger Fernando (renamed “Henriquez” by Theobald). To rein in Fernando’s wildness, the Duke & Roderick decide to call Fernando’s friend, Cardenio (renamed “Julio” by Theobald), to court service. Cardenio is deeply in love with Luscinda (renamed Leonora by Theobald), and they both want to be married, but the call to court gets in the way of Cardenio getting approval from both of their fathers. Meanwhile, Fernando is infatuated with Violante, a beautiful and virtuous local girl of humble birth, but she rejects his inappropriate solicitations. Unmoved, Fernando sneaks into her home, coerces her into accepting marriage, then forces himself on her.

Cardenio soon arrives at court. Fernando then meets Luscinda, and resolves to steal her from Cardenio, loosing his interest in Violante. Luscinda’s father, Don Bernardo, agrees to a marriage proposal from Fernando, despite Luscinda’s protests. Luscinda sends a letter to Cardenio, and he arrives in time to frustrate the wedding. Cardenio challenges Fernando with his sword but is overwhelmed and ejected by Bernardo’s servants; Luscinda faints and is carried out. Bernardo discovers a dagger and a suicide note on his daughter’s person, revealing her final determination to resist the forced marriage. Cardenio, Luscinda, and Violante then all depart mysteriously. Bernardo and Cardenio’s father, Camillo, are left to confront their own distress. Roderick comforts the two men, and the fathers reconcile.

[Intertwined with the previous action would have been a subplot revolving around Don Quixote, a madman believing himself a medieval knight, which has been mostly removed by Theobald, and is hard to reconstruct until this point]

Quixote & his companion Sancho, traveling through the mountains, briefly encounter a now maddened Cardenio. Meanwhile, Violante has disguised herself as a boy, and has become a shepherd. The Master shepherd realizes Viotante’s disguise, and tries forcing himself on her, but is interrupted by the arrival of Roderick, allowing Violante to flee. Fernando has learned that Luscinda has taken refuge in a nearby nunnery, and retrieves her with Roderick’s help. Meanwhile, A barber and a curate, following Quixote, encounter Cardenio. The three men then encounter Violante, and they all resolve to help each other set things right. After helping the barber and priest lure Quixote out of the mountains, Violante leads Roderick to Cardenio. Roderick brings Cardenio and Violante to confront Fernando in front of their fathers. Cardenio and Luscinda and happily reunited, and a now repentant Fernando agrees to marry Violante to make up for his crime. The three fathers all agree to this arrangement.