Da Porto wrote the novel in his villa in Montorso Vicentino near Vicenza before June 1524, and dedicated it to his cousin Lucina Savorgnan. The novel was published posthumously and anonymously about 1531 in Venice with the title Historia novellamente ritrovata di due nobili amanti ("Newly found story of two noble lovers"). The origin of the story of the two unlucky lovers is disputed; however, Da Porto probably took the inspiration from a tale by Masuccio Salernitano called Mariotto e Ganozza, introducing many modern elements reprised by Shakespeare's drama.
