John Marston (revising an earlier play? by George Chapman?)
HISTRIO-MASTIX, or
THE PLAYER WHIPPED
circa 1589 (date of earlier play)–1599 (limit for revision of currently known play)
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
AMBITION
Ambition accompanies Warre.
ARITHMATICK
Arithmatick accompanies Peace.
ASTONOMIE
Astronomie accompanies Peace.
ASTRAEA
Astraea ascends the throne at the end of the play and takes the crown from Peace, signifying the end of the cycle that leads from Peace to Poverty. She is accompanied by Fame, Fortitude, Religion, Virginity, and Arts. Astraea is clearly a figure for Queen Elizabeth.
ARTS
Arts accompanies Astraea.
BACCHUS
Baccchus accompanies Plenty.
BELCH
Belch is a "beard-maker." Out of work during the reign of Plenty, he becomes an actor in Sir Oliver Owlet's Company.
BELLULA
Bellula is a lady, the wife of Philarcus. Along with the other characters, she follows the cycle that begins with the reign of Plenty and ends with Poverty.
BONDAGE
Bondage accompanies Poverty.
CALAMANCHA
Calamancha is the wife of Lyon-Rash. Along with the other characters, she follows the cycle that begins with the reign of Plenty and ends with Poverty.
CERES
Ceres accompanies Plenty.
CHAMPERTY
Champerty is the wife of Fourcher. Along with the other characters, she follows the cycle that begins with the reign of Plenty and ends with Poverty.
CHRISOGANUS
Chrisoganus is a scholar and a pedant. He is thought to be a parodic representation of Ben Jonson. At the beginning of the play, rather than choosing to pursue one of the arts, he chooses all of them. Chrisoganus preaches against the folly of envy and pride and is the only character not swept up in the cycle that leads to war and poverty; however, he is unable to prevent the larger society represented in the play from pursuing its self-destructive course. At the end of the play, Mavortius, Philarcus and others yield themselves to Chrisoganus's instruction.
CLOUT
Clout is one of Sir Oliver Owlet's Men.
CONSTABLE
The constable banishes Sir Oliver Owlet's men before they can resume their regular vocations
CONTEMPT
Contempt accompanies Pride.
CRESSIDA
A fictitious character. Cressida is a character in a play staged by Sir Oliver Owlet's men.
DEVIL
A fictitious character. The devil is a character in a play staged by Sir Oliver Owlet's men.
ENVY
Envy's reign in Act Four follows the reign of Pride.
FAME
Fame accompanies Astraea.
FAMINE
Famine accompanies Poverty.
FILLISELLA
Fillisella is a lady, the wife of Mavortius. Along with the other characters, she follows the cycle that begins with the reign of Plenty and ends with Poverty.
FORTITUDE
Fortitude accompanies Astraea.
FOURCHER
Fourcher is a lawyer and, initially, a patron of Chrisoganus (also spelled "Vourcher" and "Vourchier" in text). Along with the other characters, he follows the cycle that begins with the reign of Plenty and ends with Poverty.
FURY
Fury accompanies War.
GEOMETRIE
Geometrie accompanies Peace.
GRAMMAR
Grammar accompanies Peace.
GULCH
Gulch is one of Sir Oliver Owlet's Men.
GUTT
Gutt is an out of work fiddle-string maker. During the reign of Plenty, he becomes an actor in Sir Oliver Owlet's Company.
HILETUS
Hiletus is a lord who chooses to pursue the art of Rhetoric.
HORROR
Horror accompanies War.
HYPOCRISY
Hypocrisy accompanies Pride.
INCLE
Incle is an out of work peddler. During the reign of Plenty, he becomes an actor in Sir Oliver Owlet's Company.
INIQUITY
A fictitious character. Iniquity is a character in a play staged by Sir Oliver Owlet's men.
JUVENTIS
A fictitious character. Juventis is a prodigal character in a play staged by Sir Oliver Owlet's men.
LANDULPHO
An Italian Lord and a guest of Mavortius, Landulpho is invited to watch the play staged by Sir Oliver Owlet's Men. Lanbulpho is understandably unimpressed by the production.
LARIUS
Larius is a lord who chooses to pursue the art of Astronomie.
LOGICK
Logick accompanies Peace.
LYON-RASH
A merchant, Lyon-Rash plans to become wealthy through booming trade during the reign of Envy. Along with the other characters, he follows the cycle that begins with the reign of Plenty and ends with Poverty.
MAVORTIUS
Mavortius is a lord who chooses to pursue music but forsakes the discipline during the reign of Plenty. He discharges his servingmen so that he may more freely pursue fleshly pleasures during the reign of pride. Envy drives him into war, which leads in turn to poverty. At the end of the play, he allows himself to be guided in virtue and wisdom by Chrisoganus.
MUSIC
Music accompanies Peace.
PEACE
Peace is nurse to the arts, which include Grammar, Logick, Rhetoric, Arithmatick, Geometrie, Music, and Astonomie. The play begins with the reign of Peace who then yields to Plenty. At the end of the play, she resumes her throne but yields it to Astraea.
PERPETUANA
Perpetuana is the wife of Velure. Along with the other characters, she follows the cycle that begins with the reign of Plenty and ends with Poverty.
PHILARCUS
Philarcus is a lord who joins with Mavortius in pursuit of the arts. Philarcus chooses Geometrie. Along with the other characters, he follows the cycle that begins with the reign of Plenty and ends with Poverty.
PLENTY
Attended by Bacchus, Ceres, and Plutus, Plenty reigns after Peace and before Pride.
PLUTUS
Plutus accompanies Plenty.
POST-HAST
Post-Hast is a poet who forms the playing company Sir Oliver Owlet's Men, comprised of out-of-work tradesmen and laborers. Poor performers, they overcharge for private productions during the reign of Pride, and when they can no longer draw an audience during the reign of Envy, they become soldiers. During the reign of Poverty, they consider returning to their former professions but are banished by the constable.
POVERTY
Poverty's reign in Act Six follows that of War. She is attended by Famine, Sickness, Bondage, and Sluttishness.
PRIDE
Pride's reign in Act Three follows Plenty's. She is accompanied by Vainglory, Hypocrisy, and Contempt.
RELIGION
Religion accompanies Astraea.
RHETORIC
Rhetoric accompanies Peace.
RUIN
Ruin accompanies War.
SICKNESS
Sickness accompanies Poverty.
SLUTTISHNESS.
Sluttishness accompanies Poverty.
TROILUS
A fictitious character. Troilus is a character in a play staged by Sir Oliver Owlet's men.
VAINGLORY
Vainglory accompanies Pride.
VELURE
Velure is a merchant who in the Reign of Plenty plans to become wealthy through booming trade. Along with the other characters, he follows the cycle that begins with the reign of Plenty and ends with Poverty.
VICE
A fictitious character. Vice is a character in a play staged by Sir Oliver Owlet's men.
VIRGINITY
Virginity accompanies Astraea.
VOUCHER
Voucher is a Lawyer who plans to become wealthy through lawsuits during the Reign of Envy. Along with the other characters, he follows the cycle that begins with the reign of Plenty and ends with Poverty.
WAR
War's reign in Act Five follows that of Envy. She is attended by Ambition, Fury, Horror, and Ruin.