Anne is the young second wife of Old Harding. She is upset by Old Harding's cruel treatment of
Philip and Susan, and when he forces them to become servants, secretly ensures that their
workloads are lessened. She also takes pity on Young Forrest when he flees after killing Rainsforth:
she hides him in the hay-loft, and then sends him to her brother, the Merchant (q.v.), to aid his
escape. When Old Harding dies, Young Forrest returns a rich man, and Anne marries him.
BOY
A ship's boy on Young Forrest's vessel, who spies the pirate-ship from the crow's nest.
CLINTON
Clinton and Purser are notorious pirates, proud of their lack of conscience. They attack the
Merchant (q.v.), and capture his ship, but they are then attacked and captured by Young Forrest
(q.v.). As they are led away to execution, they lament their misfortune, but also take pleasure in the
memory of their misdeeds.
CLOWN
The play's clown-figure is a servant of the Harding family. He is a greedy pragmatist, but
nonetheless takes Philip and Susan under his wing when they are forced to become his fellow
servants. The Clown tries to gull Goodwin and Foster into lending Philip money by pretending that
Philip has made a fortune and is testing the generosity of his companions: but the scheme is ruined
by Philip's honesty. Having a loud voice, he assists the Pursuivant (q.v.) in reading the proclamation
of the bounty on Purser and Clinton (q.q.v.), but gets the words wrong, with hilarious results.
Finally, he announces the death of Old Harding, and reveals the fates of the dissolute John, Will,
Goodwin and Foster (q.q.v.), by displaying them as if they were in a masque.
DRAWERS
Serve drinks in the tavern where Rainsforth kills Frank (q.q.v.).
FOSTER
A dissolute gentleman, and friend of Rainsforth (q.v.). He is present during the brawl with Frank
(q.v.), and the duel in which Rainsforth is killed. He acts as a witness when Old Harding (q.v.) plans
to change his will. He is almost gulled by the Clown into lending money to Philip (q.v.), but the
scheme is undone by Philip's honesty. At the end of the play, Foster loses his estate to a swindler,
which Philip sees as a fitting punishment for his lack of generosity.
FRANK FORREST
Despite his poverty, and the pleading of his father, Frank is lured into a prodigal lifestyle by
Rainsforth (q.v.). But when Rainsforth insults his father, a fight ensues, and Frank is killed. His death
is avenged by his brother, Young Forrest.
GENTLEMAN
A fellow of Goodwin and Foster (q.v.), who, along with them, is nearly gulled out of money by the
Clown (q.v.).
GOODWIN
A dissolute gentleman, and friend of Rainsforth (q.v.). He is present during the brawl with Frank
(q.v.), and the duel in which Rainsforth is killed. He acts as a witness when Old Harding (q.v.) plans
to change his will. He is almost gulled by the Clown into lending money to Philip (q.v.), but the
scheme is undone by Philip's honesty. At the end of the play, Goodwin loses all his money to
thieves, which Philip sees as punishment for his lack of generosity.
GUNNER
A gunner on Purser and Clinton's ship who fires the guns during attacks.
HANGMAN
The executioner of Pusher and Clinton (q.v.).
HOST
Landlord of the tavern where Rainsforth kills Frank (q.q.v.). He tries to comfort Old Forrest (q.v.).
JOHN HARDING
John is a younger brother of Philip Harding. He and Will (q.v.) are delighted when their father plans
to disinherit Philip in favour of them. When Old Harding forces Philip and his wife into servitude,
Will and John take pleasure in humiliating them. But they are horrified when Old Harding dies
before he can change the will, and Philip inherits the estate. Philip generously gives a large portion to
Will and John, but they spend it all on drink and gambling, and are reduced to poverty.
MARINERS
Two sailors on Young Forrest's ship: they are so impressed with his seamanship that they make him
captain.
MERCHANT
A rich shipping merchant, and the brother of Anne (q.v.). Old Harding has a major investment in the
fortunes of one of the Merchant's ships. When Anne decides to help Young Forrest (q.v.), she
sends him in a trunk to her brother, who generously gives Young Forrest money, and passage on a
ship. Later, pirates attack the Merchant's ship, and he is captured. News of the vessel's capture
causes Old Harding to die of shock. But Young Forrest attacks the pirates, rescues the Merchant,
and returns the stolen goods. The Merchant returns to England, and brings the good news to Anne.
OLD FORREST
A poor gentleman, head of a decayed family, and father of Frank, Susan and Young Forrest. He
tries to keep Frank from drinking, and is devastated when he is killed in a brawl. When Susan
marries Philip Harding, and Old Harding (q.q.v.) forces the couple into servitude, Old Forrest begs
Old Harding to show mercy, but to no avail. At the end of the play, the family's fortunes are
restored by the endeavors of Young Forrest, and by Philip's inheritance of his father's estate.
OLD HARDING
The head of a family newly come into wealth, Old Harding has married the young and dowerless
Anne. Despite this, he is hypocritically angry when his eldest son Philip marries the poor Susan
Forrest, and he decides to disinherit Philip in favour of his younger brothers. When Philip begs for
leniency, Old Harding demands that Philip and Susan act as servants for him. In order that Philip
can be properly disinherited, Old Harding needs to formally change his will, but Anne succeeds in
persuading him to wait until he is nearer death before doing it. This is a mistake on Old Harding's
part, because when he learns that pirates have captured a ship that he had a stake in, he dies of
shock before the will can be changed.
PHILIP HARDING
The eldest son of the Harding family, Philip enrages his father by marrying the poor Susan Forrest.
Old Harding decides to disinherit him, and distribute his estate between his other two sons, John
and William, forcing Philip and Susan to become household servants. Philip bears his misfortune
with Christian patience and behaves virtuously throughout the play. When the Clown tries to gull
Goodwin and Foster (q.q.v.) into giving money to Philip, Philip's natural honesty ruins the scheme.
Old Harding unexpectedly dies before drawing up his new will, and Philip therefore inherits the
estate. He virtuously donates large portions to his nasty brothers, who promptly spend it on
gambling and drink. Even after this, Philip offers to help them once more with extra money.
PURSER
Purser and Clinton are notorious pirates, proud of their lack of conscience. They attack the
Merchant (q.v.), and sack his ship, but they are then attacked and captured by Young Forrest
(q.v.). As they are taken away to execution, they lament their misfortune, but also take pleasure in
the memory of their misdeeds. 'Purser' is a pseudonym: his real name is Tom Watton (q.v.).
PURSUIVANT
The Pursuivant has been given the job of proclaiming the bounty on Purser and Clinton (q.v.), but
he has a sore throat, so he asks the Clown to do the shouting for him. The Clown obliges, but gets
the words comically wrong.
RAINSFORTH
Master Rainsforth is a quarrelsome gentleman, with a strain of fatalistic melancholy. He encourages
Frank Forrest into drinking, but quarrels with him when he insults his father. Rainsforth kills Frank in
the ensuing fight. Young Forrest then challenges him to a duel, in which Rainsforth is killed.
SAILOR
Brings Old Harding the news that the Merchant's (q.v.) ship has been taken by pirates.
SHERIFF
Leads Purser and Clinton (q.q.v.) to the place of execution.
SUSAN
The virtuous daughter of Old Forrest. Susan marries Philip Harding, but Old Harding is angry
because she is not rich, and forces the couple into servitude. When her brother, Young Forrest, kills
Rainsforth (q.v.) to avenge Frank Forrest's death, Susan helps to conceal him. Her fortune is
restored when Old Harding dies before he can alter his will, and Philip inherits everything he thought
he had been denied.
TOM WATTON
The real name of Purser (q.v.).
YOUNG FORREST
The brave, energetic brother of Frank, Young Forrest revenges his brother's death by killing
Rainsforth in a duel. On the run from the law, he is hidden in a hay-loft by Anne Harding, who takes
pity on him. Anne sends him in a trunk to her brother, the Merchant (q.v.), who gives Frank
passage on a ship to France. When the captain dies, Frank leads the sailors in attacks on Spanish
ships, and makes a fortune. He then attacks the pirates Purser and Clinton, claims the bounty, and
rescues the Merchant. Returning to England, he is able to restore his family's fortunes, and, when he
learns that Old Harding (q.v.) is dead, marries Anne.
WILLIAM HARDING
Will is a younger brother of Philip Harding. He and John (q.v.) are delighted when their father plans
to disinherit Philip in favour of them. When Old Harding forces Philip and his wife into servitude,
Will and John take pleasure in humiliating them. But they are horrified when Old Harding dies
before he can change the will. Philip inherits the estate, and generously gives a large portion to Will
and John, but they spend it all on drink and gambling, and are reduced to poverty.