Richard Bower?
The title page lists the author as R.B.
Richard Bower, Master of the Chapel Royal between 1561–66, has been suggested as author.

APIUS AND VIRGINIA

1559–1567
The play was entered in the Stationers' Register in 1567 and the only known edition was printed in 1575.

a synoptic, alphabetical character list

APIUS
A judge. Tormented by his love for Virginia, he decides to follow Haphazard's advice and have a lord question Virginia's legitimacy by claiming that Virginius kidnapped her as a child: this will give Apius the opportunity to detain Virginia. As he starts to exit, Apius' personified Conscience and Justice "come out of him" and warn him of the consequences of his plan; Haphazard, however, persuades Apius to continue with the plan. Burning with lust, Apius sends the lord Claudius to summon Virginius and Virginia before him; as he waits, he debates with Conscience, who "speake[s] within" and tells him his conscience is dying at the hands of his lust. Apius next sits in judgement as Claudius accuses Virginius of kidnapping Virginia as a child; Apius orders Virginius to bring Virginia to him to be kept in custody until the matter is resolved. When Virginius returns with Virginia's head, Apius curses him and calls on Justice and Reward; they, however, instead of acting against Virginius, condemn Apius for his lawlessness and sin and order his death. Virginius is told by Reward to take Apius to prison and lock him up. In prison, Apius kills himself from despair.

CLAUDIUS
A lord. As part of Apius's and Haphazard's plan to gain possession of Virginia, Claudius accuses Virginius of kidnapping Virginia from him when she was an infant. After Virginia's death and Apius' punishment by Reward and Justice, Claudius begs for mercy through Virginius to Reward and Justice; they allow him to live but order him banished.

COMFORT
Appears after Virginius has cut off Virginia's head. Comfort consoles Virginius and tells him to take Virginia's head to Apius and to look forward to Apius' punishment.

CONSCIENCE
A personification of Apius' conscience. Conscience along with Justice both "come out of" Apius after he plans to detain and rape Virginia. After Apius exits, Conscience laments Apius' subordination of conscience to Will and Lust. Conscience appears again as a voice "within" warning Apius again of his folly.

DAME BEAUTY
Name given to Virginia by Apius and Haphazard.

DOCTRINA
Appears at end of play with Fame and Memory bearing Virginia's tomb; they, along with Virginius, conduct Virginia's funeral.

FAME
Appears at end of play with Doctrina and Memory bearing Virginia's tomb; they, along with Virginius, conduct Virginia's funeral.

FRANCIS FABULATOR
A "ghost character." Enemy to Mansipulus who tries to get him in trouble with his lord.

HAPHAZARD
The Vice. Introduces himself by means of a long catalogue of occupations, some serious, some nonsensical, but in all of which he has a part, either advancing or destroying fortunes by "hap" or chance. He meets Mansipulus and Mansipula, breaks up their brawl and convinces them to join him in a song in praise of "hazard":

Hope so, and hap so, in hazard of thretninge,
The worst that can hap, lo, in end is but beating.

Haphazard next appears in counsel with Apius and suggests that, if he is willing to take the chance, he could find someone to claim that Virginia is not Virginius' legitimate daughter but was rather kidnapped by Virginius when she was a child. When Justice and Conscience challenge Apius over his plans for Virginia, Haphazard dismisses them as just thoughts and fables. Haphazard continues to encourage Apius as Apius arranges to have Claudius make the accusation against Virginius. After leaving with Claudius, Haphazard joins again with Mansipulus, Mansipula, and Subservus in a song in praise of good company. Haphazard next appears with Apius as they await the arrival of Virginius bringing Virginia into Apius' custody. After Apius is condemned to death by Justice and Reward, Haphazard outlines all of his service and demands compensation from Justice and Reward also: Justice and Reward give him a rope and tell him hanging will be his reward. Haphazard tries to escape his punishment, but Reward sends him away under Virginius' supervision to be hanged.

JUSTICE
A personification of Apius' sense of justice. Justice along with Conscience both "come out of" Apius after he plans to detain and rape Virginia. After Apius exits, Justice complains that he has been displaced by Lust but looks forward to the punishment of justice's foes. Justice later returns with Reward after Virginius brings the head of Virginia to Apius, and condemns Apius for his lawlessness and sin, orders Haphazard to be hanged, and, at Virginius' request, commutes Claudius' death sentence to banishment.

LUST
Possibly a "ghost character." Conscience and Justice lament that they have been subordinated to and displaced by Apius' lust.

MANSIPULA
A servant. Called Maud by Mansipulus. Argues and then brawls with Mansipulus, claiming that he has made her late in attending her lady, then joins with him and Haphazard in a song in praise of chance:

Hope so, and hap so, in hazard of thretninge,
The worst that can hap, lo, in end is but beating.

She returns later in the play to sing a song in praise of keeping good company even if it means hazarding a beating, then tells how she arrived late to attend her lady in church. She earned her lady's wrath while renewing rushes in the pew, but she defused her lady's anger by telling a lie about a prank she perpetrated upon Margery Mildon and Stainer the Stutterer. The prank is not described.

MANSIPULUS
A servant. Argues and then brawls with Mansipula, claiming that she has made him late in attending his lord, then joins with him and Haphazard in a song in praise of chance:

Hope so, and hap so, in hazard of thretninge,
The worst that can hap, lo, in end is but beating.

He returns later in the play to sing a song in praise of keeping good company even if it means hazarding a beating, then tells the other servants and Haphazard how he defused his lord's anger by claiming to be out surveying his lord's lands, but his enemy Francis Fabulator suggests that Mansipulus overlooked things.

MARGERY MILDON
A "ghost character." Maid of the milk house mentioned in a lie that Mansipula tells her lady to defuse her anger.

MATER
Wife of Virginius and mother of Virginia. As she heads to the temple with Virginia, she urges Virginia to resist lust and to look after Virginius after she is dead. After Virginius appears and praises her virtue, she joins with him and Virginia in a song praising family harmony.

MAUD
Name given to Mansipula by Mansipulus.

MEMORY
Appears at end of play with Doctrina and Fame bearing Virginia's tomb; they, along with Virginius, conduct Virginia's funeral.

REWARD
Appears after Virginius has brought Virginia's head to Apius, and tells Apius that his crimes deserve death. Reward gives Haphazard the rope with which to hang himself and tells Virginius to oversee Haphazard's hanging.

RUMOUR
Appears after Apius demands Virginius bring Virginia to him to announce that he has spread abroad the news that Claudius was hired by Apius to claim Virginia as his daughter so that Apius would be able to take custody of Virginia and satisfy his lust.

STAINER THE STUTTERER
A "ghost character." Guide of the storehouse mentioned in a lie that Mansipula tells her lady to defuse her anger.

SUBSERVUS
A servant. Enters looking for Mansipulus to bring him to his lord, but agrees to stay and join Mansipulus, Mansipula, and Haphazard in a song in praise of chance:

Hope so, and hap so, in hazard of thretninge,
The worst that can hap, lo, in end is but beating.

He returns later in the play to sing a song in praise of keeping good company even if it means hazarding a beating. Tells how he sneaked back and blended in with the crowd and found his absence was not noticed.

VIRGINIA
Daughter of Virginius and Mater. As she heads to the temple with Mater, she promises to resist lust and only marry with parental consent. After Virginius appears and praises her sense of familial duty, she joins with him and Mater in a song praising family harmony. Her next appearance occurs after Virginius has been ordered to bring her into Apius' custody; she attempts to sooth Virginius' grief, and then, after Virginius explains how Apius plans to rape her, she asks Virginius to kill her and send her head to Apius on Virginius' knife rather than allow her honor to be stained. After some hesitation Virginius ties a handkerchief around Virginia's eyes and then strikes off her head. Virginius brings Virginia's head to Apius, who is enraged by the deception. At the end of the play, Fame, Doctrina, Memory and Virginius, who celebrate her funeral and sing her fame, bring in the tomb of Virginia.

VIRGINIUS
Father of Virginia and husband of Mater. After thanking the gods for providing him with a just and loving spouse and a sober, meek, modest, and virtuous daughter, he plans to go to the temple to give further thanks. As he is about to leave he sees Mater and Virginia also headed to the temple and decides to hide himself and eavesdrop on their conversation. Pleased by what he hears, he steps forward and praises his good fortune in having such a wife and daughter; he then joins Mater and Virginia in a song praising family harmony. Later, summoned before Apius, Virginius wonders how his loyal service has led to this summons and what mishap several portents foretell. After Claudius accuses Virginius of kidnapping Virginia from him as a child, Virginius is ordered by Apius to bring Virginia to be kept in his custody until the issue is resolved; Virginius defends Virginia's legitimacy and returns home. At home, having heard Rumour's news, Virginius reveals Apius' order to Virginia and wishes that he could die rather than see his daughter raped by Apius. Virginius realizes that his death will not save Virginia's honor, so he consents to her request to kill her. He ties a handkerchief around her eyes, and strikes off her head. Virginius is comforted by Comfort, who tells Virginius to take Virginia's head to Apius and to look forward to seeing Apius' punishment. Virginius takes Virginia's head to Apius and, instead of facing death, is given custody of Apius by Reward. Virginius takes Apius to prison and then reports Apius' suicide to Justice and pleads for Claudius' life. Justice grants Virginius' request, and Reward then gives him custody of Haphazard, who is to be taken and hanged. Virginius returns at the end of the play along with Fame, Doctrina, and Memory to take part in Virginia's funeral.

WILL
Possibly a "ghost character." Will is mentioned by Conscience, who laments that he has been subordinated to Apius' will.