Aurelia is daughter to Senio, a gentleman of France. On her wedding day, she learns that her fiancée has been slain, and she is heartbroken. Nevertheless, on that same day, she has to obey his father's wish and marry the suitor he has now designated for her: his rich friend Philarchus. Not feeling any affection for her new prospective husband, she is disgusted at the fact that neither him nor her own father have shown any consideration whatsoever for her suffering and mourning, in their intention to have her married on the very day her beloved Octavian had been murdered. Thus, after the ceremony, when she confidently talks to her servant Engin, she scorns Philarchus portraying him as a man fit to be a cuckhold. She even faces her husband with his own portrait: that of an old and withered man, full of deformities, and unfit to satisfy a young wife's desires. With the help of Engin, she then pulls Philarchus's breeches off him and forces him to promise her that she will be her sole commander, and will be able to dispose of his fortune as she wishes. On their wedding night, she even sends him to a different room, far from hers. She abuses her husband continuously: she makes him believe she is being unfaithful to him with her servant, and she devises a trick to be played on him. She sends Engin to Erotia's to look for Pinnario and Procus, and convince them to go and visit her that night, disguised as women;the real plan being to lead them to her husband's room, so that Aurelia may pretend to be shocked at finding two women in her husband's closet. At the end, it turns out that her beloved Octavian had not died, and she had married him secretly. Therefore, her wedding with Philarchus had just been a fake. The lovers had plotted to take revenge on the selfish old man, and also on Babilas, Pinnario, Procus and Valerio. They succeeded in their attempt with the help of the Friar, Regat, Dauphine, Erotia and Cunicula.
BABILAS
Babilas is son to Senio and Aurelia's brother. He fights against Octavian in a duel, and abandons his seriously wounded body. He runs away because strict laws against duels had been proclaimed. In a letter he sends to his friend Valerio from Orleans, where he lives disguised in order not to be found out, he explains he killed Octavian and encourages his friend to woo his sister Aurelia, now that her fiancée, Octavian, had been slain. Later, still disguised, he visits Valerio at Erotia's, and reveals that he would deliver himself "to the Laws" if he knew his sister were to become Valerio's wife, but until that moment, he intends to remain disguised. On the day of the funeral, in the Friar's cave, Babilas is frightened by Octavian's "ghost," and he confesses his sins. At the end of the play it turns out that Octavian is alive. Therefore, Babilas is not a murderer, and they are finally reconciled. He will accept to be one of the "bridesmen" at the weddings both of Philarchus and Erotia, and of Pinnario and Cunicula.
CERBERUS
Only mentioned. Valerio mentions Cerberus when metaphorically referring to Engin, Aurelia's servant, when he arrives at Erotia's. According to Greek mythology, Cerberus was a huge and savage three-headed dog, which guarded the entrance to Hades.
CLORIS
Only mentioned. Engin mentions Cloris when he explains to Pinnario, Procus and Valerio that they will know Aurelia is in the cave if they hear her sing the melody "Come Cloris hie we to the Bower". Later, Erotia, disguised as Aurelia, will utter that name and sing the melody in the cave, as a trick is being played on Philarchus. That line is included in Wits Interpreter (1655), but it is probably earlier.
CUNICULA
Cunicula is a young and beatiful lady of bad reputation, and a pickpocket, who works for Erotia. She seems to be very keen on Pinnario. At the end of the play she takes part in the plot to cheat Pinnario, disguising herself as Aurelia. The plot is going to work, and she will finally manage to marry him.
CUPID
Only mentioned. Erotia mentions Cupid, expressing her astonishment at seeing Philarchus's breeches hanging on a pole before Aurelia's room.
DANAE
Only mentioned. Pinnario mentions Danae when he is about to enter Philarchus's closet, taking him for Aurelia. He metaphorically refers to Aurelia as "fair Danae," and bids her to open the doors ("these golden gates").
DAUPHINE
Dauphine is son to Rogat, a gentleman of France, and Octavian's brother. According to his father, when he learns that Babilas had murdered his brother and had escaped, he departs in search of the murderer to revenge his brother's death. In the Friar's cave Dauphine reveals he had never parted. Instead, he had always been there, disguised as Engin, taking part in a plot to take revenge on Philarchus, Pinnario, Procus, Valerio and Babilas. Finally, the plot succeeds, and Dauphine even manages to make his brother (who had not really died) ask Philarchus to settle on him two hundred pounds a year, as a recompense for his services.
ENGIN
Disguise adopted by Dauphine. Engin is servant to Aurelia. He pretends to calm Aurelia down whenever she gets excited and scorns her husband. He advises Philarchus to let his wife get supremacy at first, and to behave like a man in bed, aware of the fact that he cannot, since he is too old and withered to do such a thing. In fact, he helps his mistress to trick her husband and gain power over him, as well as his money. He even disguises as the ghost of Octavian, in order to threaten Philarchus and keep him under control. He goes as far as to suggest that he ia having an affair with his wife, and encourages him to enjoy himself with other women. Then, Engin goes to Erotia's, and there he misleads Procus and Pinnario into believing that Aurelia is eager to lie with them. He advises them to dress like women in order not to arouse Philarchus's suspicions, but what he really does is to send them to the closet where Philarchus is sleeping. He also addresses Valerio, and he tells him his mistress loves him, but Valerio suggests Engin and Aurelia are having an affair, and Eugin beats him up in order to defend his mistress's reputation. Later, he is going to act as the instrument which will lead Philarchus, Pinnario, Procus and Valerio to the cave. Once there, disguised as the ghost of his brother Octavian, he will make them and Babilas confess their sins. When he has suceeded, he takes of his disguises (both that of the ghost of Octavian, and that of Engin) and reveals he is Dauphine, Octavian's brother.
EROTIA
Erotia is an old courtesan who leads a brothel. She was very successful in her youth. She also takes part in the plot Aurelia has devised to take revenge on Philarchus. She arrives at the cave led by the Friar, and disguised as Aurelia. Later on, she is offered to Philarcus as his prospective wife by Dauphine, but without previously explaining that Philarchus is free to marry her, since his former marriage, to Aurelia, was a fake: since the young lady already secretly married to her beloved Octavian.
FRIAR
The Friar finds Octavian seriously wounded, and, believing he is dead, decides to bury him out of charity. But he suddenly notices that there is still some life in him. The young man asks him to bring him his beloved Aurelia, and the Friar does so and marries them. But they decide to let people think Octavian has been slain, to take revenge on Babilas, and on other suitors of the lady (Pinnario, Procus and Valerio). When they learn that Philarchus is determined to marry Aurelia, the Friar, Rogat, Dauphine and Aurelia devise a plan to take revenge on Philarcus. The Friar prepares the funeral rites and makes everybody gather in his cave. There, he reveals the truth, and he will act as a mediator among the young men, encouraging reconciliation at the end of the play.
HECTOR
Only mentioned. Pinario mentions Hector when he identifies Engin with an "honest Hector".
HOIDA
Only mentioned. Philarchus attaches this name to a morris dance.
JANUS
Only mentioned. Procus mentions Janus when he refers to Engin, when he calls him "Janus with a double face." According to Roman mythology, Janus was the god of gates, doors, beginnings, endings and doorways. He was usually portrayed with a key. He had two faces which represented the sun and the moon.
LAURANA
Only mentioned. Pinnario mentions Laurana when he suggests that Engin has been called to the newlyweds' chamber on their wedding night, for him to read them about the "Valiant Parismus and his loved Laurana." He refers to the work Emanuel Forde published in 1598, entitled: "Parismus, the Renovmed Prince of Bohemia. His most famous, delectable, and pleasant Historie. Conteining His Noble Battailes fought against the Persians. His loue to Laurana, the Kings Daughter of Thessaly. And his straunge Aduentures in the Desolate Iland. With the miseries and miserable imprisonment, Laurana endured in the Iland of Rockes. And a description of the Chiualrie of the Phrygian Knight, Pollipus: and his constant loue to Uioletta."
MARS
Only mentioned. Procus mentions Mars when he identifies himself with a "childe of Mars." Philarchus also mentions Mars later, metaphorically identifying himself with the Roman god of war, when Procus and Pinnario, disguised as women, arrive at his closet.
OCTAVIAN
Octavian is son to Rogat, a gentleman of France, and brother to Dauphine. Octavian and Babilas fight in a duel at a time when strict laws against duels have been proclaimed. Octavian falls, and his slain body is abandoned by Babilas. At the end of the play it turns out that he was not really dead. He had been seriously wounded, but the Friar had saved his life and married him to his beloved Aurelia. Nevertheless, they had spread the news that he was dead, to take revenge on Babilas and Aurelia's suitors. But, on learning that Philarchus intended to marry Aurelia on that very day, not even respecting her mourning, Octavian, his wife, his father, his brother and the Friar, devise a plan to take revenge on Philarchus.
OCTAVIAN'S GHOST
A fictitious character. Engin disguises himself as Octavian's Ghost and threatens Philarchus.
PALMERIN
Only mentioned. Pinnario mentions Palmerin when he suggests that Engin has been called to the newlyweds' chamber on their wedding night, for him to read the History of Palmerin to them. The Palmerin romances originated in Spain under the influence of the Amadis de Gaula. The first was the Palmarin d'Oliva, published at Salamanca in 1511, still closely following its model in style and composition. This gave birth to the second Palmerin romance, El Primaléon, published at Salamanca in 1512. The Primaléon already showed more originality, and was much better written than the first. The third and the best of the Palmerin romances, is the present work, the Palmerin d'Angleterre: the description of the many adventures, especially the fights, are excellently written.
PARACELSA
Only mentioned. Pinnario mentions Paracelsa when he is claiming for "a Maid, a Virgin or a Fresh Rose."
PARISMUS
Only mentioned. Pinnario mentions Parismus when he suggests that Engin has been called to the newlyweds' chamber on their wedding night, for him to read them about "Valiant Parismus and his loved Laurana." He refers to the work Emanuel Forde published in 1598, entitled Parismus, the Renovmed Prince of Bohemia. His most famous, delectable, and pleasant Historie. Conteining His Noble Battailes fought against the Persians. His loue to Laurana, the Kings Daughter of Thessaly. And his straunge Aduentures in the Desolate Iland. With the miseries and miserable imprisonment, Laurana endured in the Iland of Rockes. And a description of the Chiualrie of the Phrygian Knight, Pollipus: and his constant loue to Uioletta.
PHILARCHUS
Philarchus is a rich citizen and usurer. When he is on his way to attend Octavian and Aurelia's wedding, he learns from the Friar that Octavian has been slain. Then he announces to Aurelia's young suitors that they have not got a chance. He explains that Aurelia's father, Senio, is his friend, and that he will be most happy to marry his daughter to him, an aged but rich man. He finally wins Senio's consent to their marriage, to be celebrated on that very day. But Philarchus fears Aurelia has only agreed to the wedding because she does not want to be forced to his bed. Actually, on their wedding night, he is abused by his wife, who makes him face his own handicaps and deformities, and the fact that he is an old and withered man, unfit to satisfy the wishes of a young wife. Then his wife pulls his breeches off him and he ends up promising her that she will be his sole commander, and dispose of his fortune as she wishes. He is even sent to another room. In view of this, Philarchus decides to take revenge on his wife and Engin by telling her father about the way he has been abused. But he is then threatened by the ghost of Octavian (Engin disguised) and he has to desist. Philarchus then is misled into believing that Engin has been lying with his wife, and he decides he is also entitled to lie with other women. Thus, when Procus and Pinnario arrive at his closet disguised as women, he takes them for such. Afterwards, when his wife finds him with them, he is extremely afraid of her reaction, to such an extent that he even prays her to forgive him. Later, Engin suggests that he should go with his wife to Octavian's funeral rites. There, he is taken revenge on: it turns out that Octavian had not died, and that he had secretly married Aurelia before Philarchus had. Therefore, his marriage was not valid. Besides, he is forced to pay a large sum of money to Dauphine, and he is even made to marry Erotia, the old bawd, at the end.
PINNARIO
Pinnario is a gentleman of France and a suitor to Aurelia. On his way to the wedding between Octavian and Aurelia, he meets Procus and Valerio, and they decide to go together. Ignoring that Octavian is already dead, he agrees with his friends to take revenge on him, since he has won the heart of their beloved Aurelia. Soon he learns from the Friar that Octavian has been slain by Babilas. Once he has found out about his opponent's death, he thinks he still has a chance with Aurelia, but his hope soon vanishes when he hears that Senio has agreed to marry his daughter to Philarchus. Incensed, he goes as far as to break into the newlyweds' chamber with Valerio and Procus, at night, and beg Aurelia to kick her husband out of her bed. But he and his friends are soon dismissed by Engin, her servant. Later, he goes to Erotia's with his friends, where he is welcome and indentified as Erotia's benefactor. There, they meet Engin, and they decide to take revenge on him. But the latter misleads Pinnario and Procus into believing that Aurelia is eager to lie with them, however, he advises them to dress like women in order not to arouse Philarchus's suspicions. Nevertheless, what Engin really does is to send them to the closet where the old man is sleeping. When they find out they have been tricked, they decide to go on playing the game to tease Philarchus. Then, Aurelia finds Pinnario and Procus in her husband's closet and she pretends to be angry, though she soon reveals to them that they should not worry, because it was all a trick she had devised to play on her husband. Afterwards, Pinnario and his friend go to the cave, in the belief that Aurelia is awaiting them there. Instead, they meet the ghost of Octavian (Engin disguised), who asks them to confess their sins. He and his friend do, and they are all reconciled at the end. But Pinnario is forced to marry Cunicula, which he accepts.
PROCUS
Procus is also a gentleman of France and a suitor to Aurelia. On his way to the wedding between Octavian and Aurelia, he meets Pinnario and Valerio, and they decide to go together. He laments because his love is unrequitted. Unaware of the fact that Octavian is already dead, he suggests his friends taking revenge on him who has won the heart of their beloved Aurelia. Soon he learns from the Friar that Octavian has been murdered by Babilas, Aurelia's brother. Nevertheless, he is disappointed when he hears that Senio has agreed to marry his daughter to Philarchus. Incensed, he goes as far as to break into the newlyweds' chamber with Valerio and Pinnario, at night, and he launches indecent proposals to Aurelia. But he and his friends are soon dismissed by Engin, her servant. Later, he goes to Erotia's with his friends, where his money is stolen by Cunicula. There, they meet Engin, and they decide to take revenge on him. But the latter misleads Pinnario and Procus into believing that Aurelia is eager to lie with them, however, he advises them to dress like women in order not to arouse Philarchus's suspicions. Nevertheless, what Engin really does is to send them to the closet where the old man is sleeping. When they find out they have been tricked, they decide to go on playing the game to tease Philarchus. Then, Aurelia finds Pinnario and Procus in her husband's closet and she pretends to be angry, though she soon reveals to them that they should not worry, because it was all a trick she had devised to play on her husband. Afterwards, Procus and his friend go to the cave, in the belief that Aurelia is awaiting them there. Instead, they meet the ghost of Octavian (Engin disguised), who asks them to confess their sins. He and his friend do, and they are all reconciled at the end. Procus will be one of the "bridesmen" on the day of the weddings of both Philarchus and Erotia, and Pinnario and Cunicula.
ROGAT
Rogat is a gentleman of France, father of two sons: Octavian and Dauphine. At the beginning of the play, he grieves when he learns that his son, Octavian, has been slain. And he seems to be deeply offended when he hears that Aurelia is going to marry Philarchus instead, because he wonders how she could have forgotten her son so quickly. Thus, he declines the invitation to her wedding, explaining that he has to bury his son the following day and he has to prepare the ceremony. At the end of the play, it turns out that he knew that his son had not died, and that he had married Aurelia. Rogat had actually agreed to play a part in the plot to take revenge on Philarchus, pretending that his other son, Dauphine, had gone away in search of Babilas, his brother's "murderer," when he perfectly knew that he was in fact disguised as Engin, Aurelia's servant.
SENIO
Senio is also a gentleman of France, father of a son and a daughter: Babilas and Aurelia. Once he learns about Octavian's death, he turns his daughter's young suitors down, and, instead, chooses his rich friend Philarchus for her. He actually manages to convince his daughter to marry on the very day her fiancée has died, since everything was prepared for a wedding. He also asks Engin to help Philarchus to win the heart of Aurelia. Later, just before Octavian's funeral rites, in the cave, Senio manifests his astonishment when he sees Philarchus there. In fact, his amazement grows when he sees Octavian is alive. But he is actually happy to learn that his daughter had married Octavian before her fake wedding to Philarchus, after he has seen that the latter is a lecherous old man.
SERVANT
Octavian's servant explains that he knows Babilas murdered Octavian, because he saw the former in the morning, approaching his master's chamber with "frowning looks and call him forth."
VALERIO
Valerio is also a gentleman of France, an unrequited lover and a suitor to Aurelia. On his way to the wedding between Octavian and Aurelia, he meets Pinnario and Procus, and they decide to go together. Unaware of the fact that Octavian is already dead, he agrees with Procus and Pinnario to take revenge on him who has won the heart of their beloved Aurelia. Soon he learns from the Friar that Octavian has been murdered by Babilas, Aurelia's brother and Valerio's friend. Actually, Valerio thinks his friend Babilas killed Octavian to prevent Aurelia from marrying him, so that she could be Valerio's. When the latter considers his chances, he realizes Aurelia may now hate him. However, he is astonished and disappointed when he hears that Senio has agreed to marry his daughter to Philarchus. Incensed, he goes as far as to break into the newlyweds' chamber with Procus and Pinnario, at night, to bother Philarchus. But he and his friends are soon dismissed by Engin, her servant. Valerio receives a letter from Babilas, confessing the murder and encouraging him to win his sister's heart. But the former does not want to put his life at risk by covering up a man who killed another in a duel, since there are laws against that. Later, he goes to Erotia's with his friends. There, they meet Engin, and they decide to take revenge on him. But the latter tells him his mistress loves him, but Valerio suggests Engin and Aurelia are having an affair, and Eugin beats him up in order to defend his mistress's reputation. Afterwards, Valerio is visited by his friend Babilas, in disguise. Later, outside the cave, he is ready to enter, supposedly following Aurelia's call (being it really Erotia's voice), buy, suddenly, he hears noises, and, afraid, runs back to Babilas. Later, he and his friend will succumb to Octavian's (Engin disguised) ghost's call, and they will confess their sins. At the end, they will all be reconciled, and he will be one of the "bridesmen" on the day of the weddings of both Philarchus and Erotia, and Pinnario and Cunicula.
VENUS
Only mentioned. Procus mentions Venus when he metaphorically addresses to Aurelia, the lady he loves. Philarchus also mentions Venus when he addresses to Pinnario and Procus, in the belief that they are women.
VULCAN
Only mentioned. Procus mentions Vulcan when he calls old Philarchus a "crooked Vulcan."