Two men and two women begin, in a square, facing inwards, not holding hands.
Note: it's not clear whether "turning around to the left" applies to steps 2-4, or just step 4. It's also not clear whether this mean all turning together, in a circle (what Caroso would call in ruota, in a wheel), or each person circling in place.
Repeat 1-4 on other side (not explicit in first verse, but clear in later verses, and from music).
Repeat 1-2 on other side.
In the verse, the women exchange places.
"Turning round to the right" is a little curious here. I first read this as exchanging places with the step 1, and countercurling (to the left) with step 2, but the directions are wrong. I now read this as a larger loop, rather than a countercurl (pass right shoulders, loop in same direction, end in opposite woman's place, facing inwards). It could equally mean circling around the other woman and returning to one's own place; or be a typo for "turning left".
The men repeat what the women have just done in the preceding "verse".
It's not clear what pattern is intended: 1-2 together in a wheel; 1 in a wheel, the 2 with each dancers circling in place; or 1-2 with each dancer circling in place. I prefer the middle on of those options: wheel together, then circle individually.
In the verse, each woman approaches each of the men in turn (as I dance it; which takes admittedly some liberties with Negri's description).
The men repeat what the women have just done in the preceding "verse", approaching each of the women in turn.
It's not clear whether the dancers circle all the way round, returning to their own places, at each step above; or half way round only, exchanging places at each step. I prefer the former.
There is a final Riverenza after the music has finished.
This is Negri's four-person version of classic (and much varied) "Spagnoletta" dance. His is for four people, and to a duple variant of the usual tune, but it's recognisably a version of the same dance; more so than Caroso's "Spagnoletta Nuova in modo di Madriglia".
There are several reconstructions of this dance that are quite popular. Mine is heavily influenced by the first version I learned, that by Sion Andeas (thanks!). It's rather different to Del's, which is the most common version in Australasia.
There are, as usual with Negri, plenty of ambiguities in the text. Mine is not the only reasonable reconstruction, it's just the way I like to dance it.
The dance is written in five parts, but as the second and fourth parts each require two repeats of the music (once for the women and again for the men), the music must be played seven times altogether.
The music is closely related to the "Spagnoletta" tune, though in duple-time, rather than the usual triple.