King of Navarra, Ferdinand, with three close associates, vows to spend three years in an unceasing study of scholarly works. In the name of science, the monarch vows to limit himself in sleep and food, as well as spend the entire long term without communicating with women. Ferdinand is sure that only mortification of the flesh can lead to significant discoveries and conclusions. The king issues a decree that prohibits women from approaching the palace in fear of cutting off their tongues, and the courtiers to look for their unworthy society.