Thomas Heywood

THE FOUR PRENTICES OF LONDON
(related to Admiral's lost 19 July 1594 (registered) play 2 GODFREY OF BOULOGNE?)
(related to Strange's lost 22 March 1599 (registered) play JERUSALEM? (of circa 1580–1592))

1592–circa 1600

a synoptic, alphabetical character list

AMBUSHES of PAGANS
These pagan soldiers, under the command of the Sultan of Babylon and the Sophy of Persia, repeatedly attempt to subdue the Christian forces to no avail. They are conquered outright when the four brothers kill their four leaders.

BANDITTI
These non-speaking Italian thieves fall under the leadership of Charles, who, shipwrecked off the coast of Italy, kills their leader and urges the group to pursue more honest pastimes.

BOULOGNESE
These "non-speaking" citizens of Boulogne appear in a dumb-show. After their rightful Earl is supplanted by a tyrannous surrogate appointed by the King of France, the oppressed citizens eagerly join a rebellion led by Godfrey, freeing the city once more. They subsequently install Godfrey as Earl.

BELLA FRANCA
Daughter to the aged Earl of Boulogne. Deserted in London when her brothers depart for the First Crusade, Bella decides to follow her brethren in disguise. In Italy, some rapist bandits assault her, though her brothers, Eustace and Charles, quickly save her; the siblings do not recognize each other. As the various crusading forces combine, Bella Franca receives the amorous attentions of her unwitting brothers but defuses this potentially incestuous situation by reminding her siblings that they have a graver purpose at hand, the crusade. To her growing list of suitors is added Tancred and Robert of Normandy. To escape their labored attentions, Bella Franca decides to decamp, taking with her the French King's daughter who is disguised as a page. The Clown assaults her. She betters him in swordplay, aided by Eustace, after which, finally, she identifies Eustace as her brother. In the final scene of recognition, Bella Franca reveals her true identity and is betrothed to Tancred.

CAPTAIN
A soldier who recruits volunteers for the first crusade.

CHARLES
Third son to the destitute Earl of Boulogne, he is an apprentice to a haberdasher. He abandons this vocation, however, to join the First Crusade. Shipwrecked in transit to the Holy Land, Charles comes to shore in Italy where, conveyed through a dumb show, he is attacked by bandits. Having killed their captain and assumed leadership of the bandits, Charles discovers his father is their prisoner; the old Earl is released, furnished with gold, and continues his pilgrimage escorted by the Clown and the Villain. Charles fights with Eustace, believing him to be a rival outlaw, but their combat is disturbed by the arrival of Bella Franca, whom they both fail to recognize. Charles joins Tancred's crusading forces and confronts the French forces upon their arrival in Lombardy. He engages in single combat with Godfrey, whom he does not recognize, but Robert and Tancred halt the fight. All four unwitting brothers reunite in the purpose of the crusade and Charles adopts the arms of the haberdashers. He observes Bella Franca leave the camp, follows her, is captured by the Soldan's forces. Guy, disguised as the Goldsmith Knight, rescues him. In the final scene of recognition, Charles is made King of Cyprus.

CHORUS
The prologue to this play consists of three figures with "long black velvet coats." The members of the chorus, one of whom represents the "author," debate the necessity for three discrete prologues, agreeing that three hundred are really necessary. The three choristers appeal to the audience to "amend" any errors in the forthcoming dramatic performance. One member of the chorus serves as the "presenter" to narrate the subsequent travels of the four apprentices.

CLOWN
One of the Italian bandits, and partner, in both crime and saucy banter, to the Villain. Assigned to guide the Earl of Boulogne through the mountains, the Clown steals the Earl's gold; his dastardly plan to murder the Earl is thwarted by the arrival of Eustace. In the Holy Land, he attempts to rape Bella Franca but is repulsed by the plucky maid, who bests him in swordplay.

EARL OF BOULOGNE
Father of Bella Franca, Godfrey, Guy, Charles, and Eustace. Dispossessed of his lands by the French king while aiding William, Duke of Normandy, in his conquest of England, the old Earl of Boulogne lives impoverished in London. Weary of the disappointments of this world, he plans a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. In transit, he is captured by Italian bandits and almost murdered by the Clown and the Villain. Seemingly one of life's unfortunates, the Earl is also captured, and almost executed, by the Soldan's forces in the Holy Land. His sons finally rescue him, and, the pagans defeated, he is invested as Patriarch of Jerusalem.

EUSTACE
Fourth son to the destitute Earl of Boulogne, he is an apprentice to a grocer; he abandons his vocation, however, to join the First Crusade. Shipwrecked in transit to the Holy Land, Eustace, comes to shore in Ireland where, conveyed through a dumb show, he witnesses a burial and convinces the mourners, Irish kerns, to join him in the crusade; together they continue to Jerusalem. In the Italian mountains Eustace discovers the Clown and the Villain attempting to murder the Earl; although he does not recognize his father, he rescues the old man. Eustace then fights with his brother Charles, whom he also does not recognize; their combat is disturbed by the arrival of Bella Franca. Failing to recognize her, Eustace falls immediately in love. Eustace joins Tancred's crusading forces and confronts the French forces upon their arrival in Lombardy. He engages in single combat with his brother Guy, whom he also does not recognize, but Robert and Tancred halt the fight. All four unwitting brothers reunite in the purpose of the crusade. Eustace fights Guy for the privilege of single combat with Turnus; he is banished for his breach of the crusader's vow to engage in violence against the pagans alone. He remains in the Holy Land, however, disguised as a Knight of the Grocers guild, but Guy switches his emblematic shield while Eustace sleeps. He rescues Tancred and Godfrey from the Soldan and then helps Bella Franca repulse the Clown. Finally, he recognizes his sister. He takes the Soldan's ensigns from the walls of Jerusalem and leaves, in their place, his—or, rather, Guy's—shield. In victory, the crusaders reconvene and there is general confusion about who, precisely, did what. All sibling identities are finally revealed and Eustace is made King of Sicily.

ENGLISH CAPTAIN
The captain marches through London with a proclamation to recruit soldiers to join a crusade to the holy land. He is immediately joined by the four prentices.

FIRST PROLOGUE
One of three Prologue characters who open the play. The purpose of the First Prologue is both to excuse the potential failings of the author and humbly to introduce the work.

FRENCH KING
Taking advantage of the old Earl of Boulogne's absence, the French king seizes the Earl's estates. Failing to recognize Guy as the son of the dispossessed Earl, the King commissions him to command his crusading forces.

FRENCH KING'S DAUGHTER
The French King's daughter (known in speech designations only as "The Ladie") falls hopelessly in love with the shipwrecked Guy. Repulsed in her amorous advances, she decides to follow him to the Holy Land disguised as a page named Jack. Jealous that Bella Franca might favor Guy amongst her numerous suitors, she leaves the camp with the her and subsequently redisguises herself as a maidservant. In the final scene, amidst much gender joshing, she reveals her true identity to Guy and the two are betrothed.

GODFREY OF BOULOGNE
First son to the destitute Earl of Boulogne, he is an apprentice to a mercer; he abandons his vocation, however, to join the First Crusade. Shipwrecked in transit to the Holy Land, Godfrey coincidentally comes to shore at Boulogne where, conveyed through a dumb show, he helps his native citizens both free themselves from the French King's tyrannical friend and defeat an invading Spanish army. Recognizing him as the rightful heir, the citizens of Boulogne crown Godfrey as the new Earl of Boulogne. As the French crusading forces assemble, he quarrels with Guy, whom he does not recognize as his brother. In Italy he engages in single combat with Charles, whom he also does not recognize, but Robert and Tancred halt the fight. Godfrey falls in love with his own sister, Bella Franca, whom he again does not recognize. All four unwitting brothers reunite in the purpose of the crusade and Godfrey adopts the arms of the mercers. He observes Bella Franca leave the camp, follows her, is captured by the Soldan's forces, and is rescued by Eustace, disguised as the Grocer Knight. In the final scene of recognition, Godfrey rejects earthly diadems preferring, instead, a crown of thorns.

GUY
Second son to the destitute Earl of Boulogne, he is an apprentice to a goldsmith; he abandons his vocation, however, to join the First Crusade. Shipwrecked in transit to the Holy Land, Guy comes to shore in France where, conveyed through a dumb show, he is discovered by the King of France and his daughter. Concealing his true identity, he is entertained in the royal household. He resists, or fails to notice, the ardent advances of the French King's daughter, declaring himself wed to Dame War herself. As the French crusading forces assemble, he quarrels with Godfrey, whom he does not recognize as his brother. Upon arrival in Italy, he engages in single combat with Eustace, whom he also does not recognize, but Robert and Tancred halt the fight. Guy falls in love with his own sister, Bella Franca, whom he again does not recognize. All four brothers reunite in the purpose of the crusade. Guy fights Eustace for the privilege of single combat with Turnus; he is banished for his breach of the crusader's vow to engage in violence against the pagans alone. He remains in the Holy Land, however, disguised as a Knight of the Goldsmiths guild. Guy discovers Eustace asleep, but, scorning a dishonorable murder, he exchanges shields, leaving a verse that promises a future encounter. Guy takes the Sophy's ensigns from the wall of Jerusalem and leaves, in their place, his—or, rather, Eustace's—shield. In victory, the crusaders reconvene and there is general confusion about who, precisely, did what. All sibling identities are finally discovered and Guy is invested as the King of Jerusalem. The French King's Daughter, who has followed in disguise, reveals herself and the two are betrothed.

IRISHMAN
Chief mourner in the dumb show that presents Eustace's arrival in Ireland, the Irishman accompanies Eustace on the crusade.

JACK
The alias assumed by the French King's Daughter when pretending to be a page and following Guy to the Holy Land.

MORETES
Chief aide to the Soldan of Babylon.

MUTES
These "non-speaking" and unindividuated characters serve the pagan forces led by the Sophy of Persia and Sultan of Babylon.

OUTLAW
This "non-speaking" character attempts to rape Bella Franca in an Irish Forest. He is subdued by Eustace and Charles.

PAGE
A "ghost character," the page is companion to Bella Franca; he is assaulted, off-stage, by the rapist bandits and is heard of no more.

PRESENTER
A narrator who explicates to the audience the meaning of the four dumb shows in which, after a shipwreck, the landfalls of the four brothers are represented.

ROBERT, DUKE OF NORMANDY
Leader of the First Crusade and son to William the Conqueror. In the Holy Land, he falls in love with Bella Franca, follows her when she leaves the camp, is captured by the Soldan's forces, and is rescued by Guy, disguised as the Goldsmith Knight. He returns at the end of the play to England where, unhistorically, he succeeds his recently deceased father, William the Conqueror.

SECOND PROLOGUE
One of three Prologue characters who open the play. The purpose of the Second Prologue is both to excuse the name and to vouch for the historical accuracy of the play.

SOLDAN OF BABYLON
An old and diplomatic monarch. He sets his standard and ensign on the walls of Jerusalem as a challenge to the crusaders and is killed in the final action.

SOPHY OF PERSIA
A young and hot-headed monarch. He sets his standard and ensign on the walls of Jerusalem as a challenge to the crusaders and is killed in the final action.

TANCRED, A PRINCE OF ITALY
Attempting to crush the bandits who occupy the Italian mountains, Tancred interrupts the fight between Charles and Eustace. Impressed by their inherent nobility and martial valor, however, Tancred recruits Charles and Eustace for the crusade. Tancred also falls in love with Bella Franca and takes her into his own custody seemingly to forestall the amorous rivalry between Charles and Eustace. He observes Bella Franca leave the camp, follows her, is captured by the Soldan's forces, and is rescued by Eustace, disguised as the Grocer Knight. In the final scene of recognition, Tancred and Bella Franca are betrothed.

THIRD PROLOGUE
One of three Prologue characters who open the play. The purpose of the Third Prologue is to excuse, albeit he acknowledges none, the errors in the play.

TURNUS
Chief aide to the Sophy of Persia.

VILLAIN
A member of the Italian bandits and partner, in both crime and saucy banter, to the Clown. Assigned to guide the Earl of Boulogne through the mountains, the Villain steals the Earl's gold; his dastardly plan to murder the Earl is thwarted by the arrival of Eustace.

WILLIAM I
A "ghost character," William is too busy consolidating his English acquisitions to engage in the crusade.