Achitophel, as an advisor to the biblical King David's rebellious son Absalom, is not a character in this play but is the name Falstaff uses to refer to his supplier of cloth goods.
AMURATH
Amurath was a sixteenth century sultan who had all of his brothers strangled on assuming the throne. King Henry V reassures his own brothers that he is not like Amurath.
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK
The Archbishop of York belongs to the Percy faction opposing King Henry IV. Adding religious fervor to political arguments for war and rebellion, the Archbishop, armed and ready after Shrewsbury, agrees to Prince John's promise of redress of grievances and disbands his troops. He is then arrested for treason.
BLUNTS
Used once in the plural, this term refers to Sir Walter Blunt and his son, loyalists to King Henry IV.
BOLINGBROKE
Bolingbroke is the surname of King Henry IV.
BULLINGBROOK
Variant spelling, in some editions, of King Henry IV's surname.
CAESAR
Only mentioned, he is the Roman emperor referred to by Lord Bardolph in comparing an erroneously reported Percy victory at Shrewsbury. Caesar is not a character in the play.
CAIN
Only mentioned, Cain is the biblical son of Adam who slew his brother, becoming the world's first murderer whose example the enraged Northumberland plans to follow after learning of the Shrewsbury defeat.
CALIPOLIS
Only mentioned, Calipolis is the wife of Muly Mahomet in Peele's play Battle of Alcazan. Calipolis is referred to by Pistol in arguing with Doll Tearsheet and Hostess Quickly at the Board's Head Tavern.
CAPTAIN PISTOL
Captain Pistol is an old confederate of Falstaff who is now his second lieutenant and a loyalist to King Henry IV.
CLEMENT PERKES
Clement Perkes does not appear on stage but is mentioned in passing by Davy.
COLEVILE
Colevile is a knight of the Percy faction. He is accosted by Falstaff and surrenders to him just prior to the Gaultree disband announcement. He is ordered executed as a famous rebel.
CORPORAL BARDOLPH
As a servant of Falstaff, Corporal Bardolph is among a dozen captains who arrive at the Boar's Head Tavern to escort Falstaff to court.
COUSIN NEVIL
King Henry IV uses the name Cousin Nevil to refer to the Earl of Warwick.
DAVY
Davy is the servant of Justice Shallow.
DOLL TEARSHEET
Doll Tearsheet is a friend of Mistress Quickly who tends to over imbibe Canary wine. Her given name is Dorothy, and Falstaff's page claims that she is some sort of relation to Falstaff. According to Poins, however, Doll is not a gentlewoman but rather a commoner.
DOUBLE
Double is a deceased acquaintance of Silence and Shallow. Shallow asks Silence about Double, unaware that his old friend has died.
DOUGLAS
Part of the Percy faction against King Henry IV, Archibald the Earl of Douglas is mistakenly reported as having killed both Blunts and Prince Henry at Shrewsbury. In fact, we learn from Morton that Douglas was captured at Shrewsbury while in cowardly flight.
DUKE OF LANCASTER
The Duke of Lancaster is the title held by Prince John, son of King Henry IV. At Gaultree Forest he parlays peace with the Archibishop, Hastings, and Mowbray, promising that their griefs will be addressed if the opposing faction's troops are disbanded. Once they are disbanded, he orders the traitors arrested.
DUKE OF NORFOLK
A "ghost character." The Duke of Norfolk is the deceased father of Thomas Mowbray whose estates were restored to Thomas by King Henry IV.
EARL OF SURREY
One of several Earls loyal to King Henry who is only mentioned in passing and does not appear on stage.
EARL OF WARWICK
Referred to by King Henry IV as Cousin Nevil, the Earl of Warwick feels certain that Northumberland will soon be reconciled to the king. Warwick also defends Prince Henry to the king, positive that Hal will cast off his wild companions at the appropriate time.
EDWARD III
Edward III does not appear on stage but is mentioned as the great-grandfather of King Henry IV's sons.
ELLEN
Ellen is the daughter of Justice Silence and the goddaughter of Robert Shallow. She does not appear on stage in the play.
FIRST BEADLE
This First Beadle is in charge of Mistress Quickly and Doll Tearsheet when they are detained.
FIRST DRAWER
A tapster at the Boar's Head Tavern in Eastcheap, the First Drawer lends his jerkin and apron to Poins and Prince Henry so they might eavesdrop on Falstaff.
FIRST GROOM
The First Groom strews rushes along the path to honor the coronation of Hal as King Henry V.
FRANCIS
An employee of the Boar's Head Tavern in Eastcheap, Francis apparently does not appear on stage in the play but is called for on occasion by both Mistress Quickly and Falstaff.
FRANCIS FEEBLE
By occupation Francis Feeble makes women's garments. Recruited by Shallow for military service with Falstaff, Feeble's main concern is not a fear of battle but rather a desire that Thomas Wart serve with him. The implication is clear that Francis Feeble prefers the company of men to that of women.
FRANCIS PICKBONE
Never appearing on stage in the play, Pickbone is mentioned as an old crony of Shallow's during the latter's law education.
GALEN
Only mentioned, Galen is an ancient Greek writer of medical texts. Falstaff makes the (unlikely) claim that he has studied Galen's works.
GEORGE BARNES
Never appearing on stage in the play, George Barnes is mentioned as a crony of Shallow's during the latter's law education.
GLENDOWER
Owen Glendower is part of the Percy faction against King Henry IV. He does not appear on stage in the play but is spoken of by Lord Hastings in predicting divisions of King Henry's strength.
GOODMAN DUFF
Goodman Duff of Barson does not appear on stage, but Falstaff compares himself to this less-than-gentlemanly acquaintance.
GOWER
An acquaintance of Falstaff, Gower brings word to Sir John that King Henry and Prince Hal draw near the city.
HARCOURT
Harcourt is a nobleman in King Henry's court. He brings news that Northumberland and Lord Bardolph have been overthrown by the Sheriff of Yorkshire.
HARRY MONMOUTH
Harry Monmouth is another name for Prince Henry, son of King Henry IV. Enemies of the royal house generally use this nomenclature more often than do the loyalists.
HENRY, PRINCE OF WALES
The eldest son of King Henry IV, Henry, also known as Bolingbroke, Hereford, Hal, or Harry Monmouth, is the apparently profligate prince whose escapades have disappointed his father for years. Prince Henry accomplishes a rapid maturity in the course of this drama. In fact, he seems to have backslid from his gains in 1 Henry IV for the sake of this sequel. He feels remorse at "profaning the time" while his father and Prince John deal so intensely with the rebels. Attending the dying king, Prince Hal begins to recognize something of the burden of rule shortly to be his. Once crowned, he mildly upbraids (and then forgives and praises) the Lord Chief Justice for having once arrested Hal when he defied the king's decrees. By the end of the play, Hal has become King Henry V. He is sworn to renounce his old ways and refuses to render preferment upon Falstaff and friends until they, too, show evidence of reform. He banishes Falstaff ten miles from his presence.
HOSTESS OF THE BOAR'S HEAD TAVERN
There are two women given this title:
Also known as Mistress Quickly, this hostess of the Boar's Head tavern in Eastcheap variously lauds Sir Falstaff and next sues to have him arrested for outstanding debt and failure to carry through on his marriage proposal.
Also known as the Boar's Head Tavern hostess, Mistress Ursula claims to have received weekly marriage proposals from Falstaff.
HOTSPUR
Hotspur is the nickname for Henry Percy, son of the Earl of Northumberland. He does not appear on stage in this play, having been slain by Prince Henry at the battle of Shrewsbury in 1 Henry IV. His death is largely what induces Northumberland to swear revenge upon King Henry.
JANE NIGHTWORK
Jane Nightwork is a female acquaintance of Falstaff and Shallow. She does not appear on stage in the play but is discussed by the two men as Falstaff reviews the recruits brought by Shallow.
JAPHET
Only mentioned, Japhet is one of the sons of the biblical Noah. Prince Henry uses this term in conjunction with Falstaff, who has written a letter calling himself a poor cousin of the King.
JOB
Only mentioned, Job is a biblical character plagued at the behest of Satan. Falstaff, when set upon by the Lord Chief Justice, compares his own financial situation with that of Job's.
JOHN DOIT
Never appearing on stage, John Doit is mentioned as a Staffordshire crony of Shallow from the justice's law education days.
JOHN OF GAUNT
A "ghost character." The deceased father of King Henry IV. Shallow mentions that John of Gaunt loved his friend, the deceased Double, well.
KATHERINE OF FRANCE
Katherine is the daughter of the French king. She does not appear on stage but is mentioned in the Epilogue as important in the forthcoming story of Hal, now King Henry V.
KEECH
Never appearing on stage in the play, Keech is the butcher's wife mentioned by Mistress Quickly in discussing Falstaff's matrimonial promise.
KING COPHETUA
Only mentioned, King Cophetua is a name Falstaff uses on one occasion to refer to himself. Falstaff compares his own marital prospects with those of Cophetua, who supposedly wed a lowborn maiden.
KING HARRY
King Harry is the overly familiar term used by Rumor to refer to King Henry IV.
KING HENRY IV
As liege, King Henry IV wishes little more than to see peace in the realm and to effect a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He is sorely upset by both the defection of the Percy faction and the waywardness of his son Prince Hal. More and more often subject to fits of weakness and illness, King Henry senses the nearness of death and offers bitter words to Prince Hal upon discovering that his eldest son has removed the crown from the king's pillow. Father and son effect a reconciliation near the play's end, however, and the king's deathbed advice to Prince Hal is to keep busy with foreign campaigns so the recent domestic troubles might be forgotten. He dies in the Jerusalem chamber in fulfillment of a prophecy that he would die in Jerusalem.
RICHARD II
A "ghost character." Ruling prior to King Henry IV and now deceased, King Richard was murdered, according to the Archbishop of York, at the command of King Henry. The Archbishop displays scrapings of Richard's blood taken from the stones at Pontefract Castle. Richard is recalled as having prophesied divisions and corruption for the realm under King Henry IV's rule.
LADY NORTHUMBERLAND
As wife of Henry Percy the Earl and mother of the slain Hotspur, Lady Northumberland pleads with her husband to go to Scotland, there to wait and see what befalls the rest of the Percy faction who battle King Henry IV. She is able to persuade the Earl to take that self-saving step.
LADY PERCY
Lady Percy is the wife of the slain Hotspur, son of the Earl of Northumberland. Inconsolable over the death of the husband, Lady Percy joins pleas with Lady Northumberland in begging the Earl to forego war with the king until the Percy colleagues have seen some strong measure of success.
LORD BARDOLPH
Lord Bardolph, a baron in King Henry IV's realm, is allied with the Archbishop of York in the faction against the king. At the beginning of the play he brings to Northumberland hearsay reports of Percy victory at Shrewsbury.
LORD CHIEF JUSTICE
The Lord Chief Justice. Early in the play he warns Falstaff not to brag about the sullied past. He orders Falstaff and company to prison near the play's end. He is mildly upbraided and then praised by the newly made Henry V for once having sent Prince Hal to jail for defying the king's order. The Lord Chief Justice embodies the play's main theme of Justice.
LORD HASTINGS
A nobleman allied with the Archbishop of York in the faction against King Henry IV, Hastings urges his compatriots that King Henry's power is weak enough to fall to an opposition attack without the Northumberland troops' participation.
LORD MARSHAL
Also known as Lord Mowbray, this nobleman is in charge of troops under the Archbishop of York as part of the faction against the king.
LORD THOMAS MOWBRAY
Marshal of the Archbishop of York's troops, Mowbray is concerned about amassing enough troops to do well against the king. Mowbray employed the youthful Falstaff once as a page and is firmly against the peace parley and disbandment decision agreed upon by the factions.
MASTER DOMBLEDON
Master Domledon is a tailor often serving Sir John Falstaff. He refuses, based on past experience, to continue supplying cloth goods to Falstaff.
MASTER DUMBE
Master Dumbe is Mistress Quickly's minister. Quickly names Dumbe as guarantor concerning remarks she made concerning swaggerers in her tavern.
MASTER FANG
Master Fang serves the sheriff in the capacity of sergeant.
MASTER SMOOTH
Never appearing on stage in the play, Master Smooth is mentioned by Mistress Quickly as the silk merchant with whom Falstaff sometimes dines.
MASTER SNARE
Master Snare is a yeoman who serves as assistant to Master Fang, the sheriff's sergeant.
MASTER SURECARD
Master Surecard does not appear on stage but is an acquaintance of Falstaff for whom Sir John briefly mistakes Justice Shallow.
MASTER TISICK
Master Tisick is a deputy representing the alderman of a London ward. Mistress Quickly reports her conversation with Tisick concerning swaggerers in her tavern.
MESSENGER
This unnamed messenger brings news to the Archbishop of York about the proximity and number of King Henry's troops.
MISTRESS QUICKLY
Also known as the Hostess of the Boar's Head Tavern in Eastcheap, Mistress Quickly has gone to considerable expense in meeting the needs of Falstaff. She reports to the Lord Chief Justice not only Falstaff's debt but also his promise to marry her. Despite her suit for redress, it is apparent that Mistress Quickly has tender feelings for Sir John and easily-if not willingly-lets herself be won over by his artifices, bragging, and excuses.
MISTRESS URSULA
Also known as the Boar's Head Tavern hostess, Mistress Ursula claims to have received weekly marriage proposals from Falstaff.
MORTON
Morton arrives at the home of the Earl of Northumberland to confirm the news about the Shrewsbury tragedy.
NED POINS
Ned Poins is a longstanding acquaintance of Falstaff and Prince Hal. He and Hal don the garb of tapsters in order to eavesdrop on Falstaff.
NELL
Nell does not appear on stage but is the sister of Ned Poins. Falstaff mentions her in a letter to Hal; Poins has apparently claimed that Hal is to wed sister Nell.
NORTHUMBERLAND
The Earl of Northumberland is Henry Percy, father of the slain Hotspur and part of the faction opposing King Henry IV. In spite of his sorrow and anger over his son's death at Shrewsbury, Northumberland is convinced by the women in his family to flee to Scotland and there await news of the success or failure of other opposition troops before committing his own forces.
OLD NIGHTWORK
Old Nightwork is Robin Nightwork's father and the husband of Jane. He does not appear on stage in the play and is mentioned only in relation to Jane in a conversation between Falstaff and Shallow.
PAGE
The Page is a gift of Prince Hal in service to Sir John Falstaff. He has no speaking part in the play. He is a remarkably small character to contrast Falstaff's large proportions. He is probably the same character who returns as "Boy" in Henry V and as "Robin" in The Merry Wives of Windsor. However, some scholarship has suggested that the actor might have been a dwarf or midget rather than a child and that he may have also performed the part of Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night.
PETER BULLCALF
Peter Bullcalf, recruited by Shallow for military service with Sir John Falstaff, complains bitterly that he is a diseased man with a cough who should not go off to war. He buys himself out of military service with ten shillings.
PETO
Peto is a long-standing friend of Prince Hal and Falstaff. He brings news to Hal and Falstaff at the Boar's Head Tavern that King Henry is at Westminster and that many captains are searching for Falstaff.
PORTER
This Porter is the doorkeep at Warkworth Castle who answers Lord Bardolph's knock when visiting Northumberland.
PRIAM
Only mentioned, the king of ancient Troy. The Earl of Northumberland compares himself to Priam in the ability to discern news of death from a messenger's changing facial color and expression.
PRINCE HARRY
Harry is a diminutive for Prince Henry of Wales, son of King Henry IV.
PRINCE HUMPHREY
Prince Humphrey is the Duke of Gloucester and a son of King Henry IV. He is urged by his father to love Prince Hal, and he is concerned with common talk of unnatural happenings that portend tragedy for King Henry IV.
PRINCE JOHN
Prince John is the Duke of Lancaster, younger brother of Hal, and a son of King Henry IV. Though not the heir apparent, Prince John takes a strong role in rule, war, and governance in this play. He speaks honestly to the Archbishop of York, arguing that the churchman has "misused the reverence" of his place. At Gaultree Forest, John performs a trick that saves hundreds of lives. He parleys with the rebels, establishing a troop disbandment with his personal promise for redress. When the rebels disband and the battle is won without bloodshed, John reneges on his promise, claiming traitors are owed no faith, and orders the arrest of the traitors Hastings, Mowbray, and the Archbishop of York. Perturbed that he is expected to speak better of Falstaff than Sir John deserves, Prince John is pleased with newly-crowned King Henry V's decision to send Falstaff and company to Fleet prison pending a more courtly behavior on the part of those gentlemen.
PRINCE THOMAS
Prince Thomas is the Duke of Clarence and son of King Henry IV. This Prince recalls how the rivers have recently overflowed three times, foreboding disaster just as did a similar episode just prior to the death of King Edward III
RALPH MOULDY
Ralph Mouldy, recruited by Justice Shallow for military service with Falstaff, feels others are far more fit for the military and buys himself out for forty shillings.
ROBERT SHALLOW
Robert Shallow is a country justice called cousin by Justice Silence. Shallow presents a rather motley crew of recruits for Falstaff, and his conversations with Falstaff and with fellow justice Silence provide glimpses of Shallow's rough-and-tumble law education days.
ROBIN NIGHTWORK
Never appearing on stage in the play, Robin Nightwork is the son of Jane Nightwork and is mentioned in passing by Falstaff and Shallow.
RUMOR
Rumor is the name given to the character that presents the Prologue. He represents the abstraction of gossip and admits that his office is to spread falsehoods about the condition of the royal family and the true outcome of the battle of Shrewsbury.
SAMPSON STOCKFISH
Stockfish does not appear on stage. Sampson Stockfish is a fruiterer with whom Shallow says he fought in his youth.
SECOND DRAWER
A tapster at the Boar's Head Tavern in Eastcheap, this character lends his jerkin and apron to Prince Hal and Poins to facilitate their eavesdropping on Falstaff.
SECOND GROOM
This character is one of two grooms who spread rushes along the road in honor of King Henry V's coronation.
SERVANT
This unnamed Servant is employed by the Lord Chief Justice.
SHERIFF OF YORKSHIRE
Though he does not appear on stage, the Sheriff of Yorkshire is reported by Harcourt as having overthrown the Earl of Northumberland and Lord Bardolph.
SILENCE
Silence is a country justice called cousin by Justice Shallow. His daughter is Shallows' goddaughter, and his conversations with Shallow provide glimpses of the past lives and current friends of both men.
SIMON SHADOW
Simon Shadow is one of the motley crew recruited by Shallow for military service with Falstaff.
SIR DAGONET
Sir Dagonet was a false title assumed by Justice Shallow during his youthful days as a member of the archery club.
SIR JOHN FALSTAFF
Continually in debt and forever promising marriage to Mistress Quickly, Sir John in this drama continues the type of lovable yet rascally caper we saw of him in 1 Henry IV. In a part of Gaultree Forest, for example, Falstaff "captures" the rebel Colevile, bragging loudly of his exploit even though Colevile surrendered merely out of courtesy. Falstaff urges the newly arrived Prince John to shower him with fame and recognition for taking Colevile; the Prince, however, primarily notes Falstaff's habitual tardiness. Falstaff makes the mistake of assuming Prince Hal will offer preferment based upon long acquaintance. His overfamiliar greeting to Hal after the coronation is ignored, and King Henry V insists no advancement will come to Falstaff without major character reform. At play's end he is banished from the king's presence and ordered not to come within ten miles of Henry V.
SIR JOHN UMFREVILE
This nobleman originally sent Travers, a servant of Northumberland, with a good report for the Percy faction of the Shrewsbury events.
SKOGAN
Skogan does not appear on stage. He is mentioned as a youth whose head John Falstaff supposedly "cracked" during younger years.
SNEAK
Sneak is in charge of a band of musicians that sometimes plays at the Boar's Head Tavern in Eastcheap.
STAFFORD
Lord Stafford is King Henry IV's constable. Though Rumor claims Stafford fled the battle of Shrewsbury, in fact Stafford was slain by Douglas.
THOMAS WART
Recruited by Shallow for military service with Falstaff, Thomas Wart is originally refused by Sir John. After Mouldy and Bullcalf buy themselves out of the company, however, Wart is accepted into service. Francis Feeble is anxious that Wart should be made part of the company.
TRAVERS
Travers is a servant of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. He brings to Northumberland the true, tragic news about the Shrewsbury loss and the death of Hotspur.
WESTMORELAND
The Earl of Westmoreland is a loyalist who questions the Archbishop of York about the motivation behind the Archbishop's insurrection. At Gaultree Forest and under the orders of Prince John, Westmoreland arrests the Archbishop, Mowbray, and Hastings for high treason.
WILL SQUELE
A native of Cotswold, Will Squele never appears on stage in the play but is mentioned as having been a crony of Shallow's during the latter's law education days.
WILLIAM
William, also called cousin by Justice Shallow, does not appear on stage and is said to be at Oxford.
WILLIAM THE COOK
William the Cook is a servant in the house of Justice Shallow.
WILLIAM VISOR
Never appearing on stage in the play, William Visor of Woncot is a acquaintance of Davy.
WORCESTER
Thomas Percy, the Earl of Worcester, is reportedly taken prisoner at Shrewsbury as part of the faction against King Henry IV.