Amie is the niece and ward of Master Clack, who plans to marry her to Master Tallboy. Amie runs away with Martin and, dressed clownishly, encounters Springlove, Meriel, Rachel, Hilliard, and Vincent, to whom she gives money generously. While in their company, she falls in love with Springlove, and the announcement of their engagement concludes the play.
ARMY
Army is a branch of the commonwealth (Utopia) represented in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding. It is to be played by the decayed soldier. Army "overtops" and cudgels City, Country, Court, Divinity, and Law.
AUTEM MORT
Autem Mort is the wife of Patrico. She is very old and drunk, and sings a song for Oldrents and Hearty before passing out.
BEGGAR
Beggar is a branch of the commonwealth (Utopia) represented in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding. The role is not assigned. Beggar overcomes the soldier and brings all the branches of the commonwealth to Beggar's Hall.
BEGGARS
Beggars comprise the main of supernumeraries. The elderly bride and groom are beggars. Springlove adopts the persona of beggar every spring. The guise of beggar is taken up by four characters as a central feature of the play:
Meriel;
Rachel;
Hilliard;
Vincent.
There are also four numbered, speaking beggars in the play:
Beggar 1 is Scribble, the poet;
Beggar 2 is the lawyer;
Beggar 3 is the soldier;
Beggar 4 is the courtier.
BRIDE
The bride is a beggar. She is eighty years old and blind while her groom is eighty-seven and lame. The other beggars plan a masque to celebrate the nuptials.
BUTLER
Butler is Oldrents' Butler. In Oldrents' absence, he praises his master's generosity and provides Oliver with beer.
CHAPLAIN
Chaplain is Oldrents' chaplain. In Oldrents' absence, he drinks with Oliver and Tallboy.
CITY
Also Citizen or Merchant. City is a branch of the commonwealth (Utopia) represented in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding. It is to be played by Springlove. City vies for superiority with Country and Court.
CITIZEN
An alternate designation for City. City is a branch of the commonwealth (Utopia) represented in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding. It is to be played by Springlove. City vies for superiority with Country and Court.
CLACK
Master Clack is a Justice with a tendency to dominate conversations. He is guardian and uncle to Amie, whom he plans to marry to Tallboy, and father to Oliver. When Clack entertains Oldrents and Hearty, his niggardliness stands in direct contrast to the generosity and hospitality of Oldrents. He finally agrees to Amie's marriage to Springlove when Oldrents acknowledges that Springlove is his son and promises him part of Oldrents' estate.
CONSTABLE
The constable accompanies Sentwell in the search for Amie. Together they break up the beggar wedding.
COOK
Cook is Oldrents' cook. In Oldrents' absence, he offers Oliver and Tallboy "a cut of the sirloin" and drinks to them.
COUNTRY
Country, or the Gentleman, is a branch of the commonwealth (Utopia) represented in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding. It is to be played by Vincent or Hilliard. Country vies for superiority with City and Court.
COURT
Court is a courtier and a branch of the commonwealth (Utopia) represented in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding. It is to be played by the decayed courtier. Court vies for superiority with Country and City.
COURTIER
Also known as Beggar 4, the courtier has withdrawn from court life and become a beggar, finding begging and the life of a courtier to be comparable, but begging less humiliating. He is the subject of a song by Scribble and volunteers to play Court in the wedding masque.
DIVINITY
Divinity is a branch of the commonwealth (Utopia) represented in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding. It is to be played by Patrico. With Law, it "stretch[es] its wide throat to appease and reconcile" City, Court, and Country.
DOXY
Several of the beggar women are referred to as doxies. Two figure significantly in the story.
A "ghost character." She gives birth to a child in Oldrents' guesthouse while the beggars laugh and sing to drown out her cries. Oldrents can hear them despite this. He suggests a christening, but the beggars say they will not stay long enough to see it.
Patrico offers Oldrents a virgin doxy for his pleasure, which Oldrents declines.
GENTLEMAN
An alternate designation for Country, which is a branch of the commonwealth (Utopia) represented in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding. It is to be played by Vincent or Hilliard. Country vies for superiority with City and Court.
GENTLEMEN
The two gentlemen are searching the countryside for Amie and Martin and inform Oliver of Amie's disappearance. Vincent and Springlove beg them for alms; they give to Springlove but spurn Vincent.
GROOM
The groom is a beggar. He is eighty-seven years old, lame, and plans to marry the eighty-year-old, blind bride. The other beggars plan a masque to celebrate the nuptials.
HEARTY
Hearty is a decayed gentleman and a friend of Oldrents. He serves principally to bring Oldrents out of his melancholy and into a state of mirth. Hearty is also the uncle of Martin, and the soldier plays him in the inset play before Oldrents.
HILLIARD
Hilliard is a young gentleman and a childhood sweetheart to one of Oldrents' daughters, Meriel and Rachel. Along with Vincent, he agrees to accompany Meriel and Rachel in their adventure as beggars. He and Vincent try to conceal their misery during this adventure from Meriel and Rachel, who conceal theirs in turn. In the course of his begging, Hilliard is insulted by Oliver and challenges him via Vincent, to a duel, which goes unfought. When Sentwell arrives and breaks up the festivities of the beggar wedding, Hilliard, along with Vincent, Meriel, and Rachel, gives himself up and reveals his identity. Brought by Sentwell to Clack's house, he plays himself in the inset play before Oldrents.
LAW
Law is a branch of the commonwealth (Utopia) represented in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding. It is to be played by the decayed lawyer. With Divinity, it "stretch[es] its wide throat to appease and reconcile" City, Court, and Country.
LAWYER
Also Beggar 2, the lawyer is a beggar who has been barred from practice and whipped after seeking to make a living by giving false evidence. He is to play Law in the aborted wedding masque, and he plays Oldrents in the inset play before Oldrents.
MARTIN
Martin is a clerk to Justice Clack. He runs off with Amie, Clack's niece, thus ruining Clack's plan to marry her to Tallboy. Martin hopes to be married to Amie by Patrico. Cowardly, covetous, and generally clownish, he abandons Amie, leaving her with Springlove, Meriel, Rachel, Hilliard, and Vincent. Although at the end Martin tries to disprove the contract between Amie and Springlove, Sentwell serves as witness to it.
MERCHANT
An alternate designation for City. City is a branch of the commonwealth (Utopia) represented in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding. It is to be played by Springlove. City vies for superiority with Country and Court.
MERIEL
Meriel is the daughter of Oldrents and sister of Rachel. A fortuneteller has told their father that Rachel and Meriel will become beggars. Weary of their father's melancholy over this forecast, the sisters decide to fulfill it by leaving their father's house to go begging. They enlist the aid of their childhood sweethearts, Hilliard and Vincent, and Springlove, their father's steward and a sometimes beggar. The sisters must conceal their misery as beggars, and they are nearly raped by Oliver. When Sentwell breaks up the beggars' wedding, they disclose their identities and are brought to Master Clack's house, where they reunite with their father and where Meriel plays herself in the inset play before Oldrents.
NEWBORN CHILD
A "ghost character." At Oldrents' guesthouse, one of the beggar women, or "doxies," gives birth to a child. The other beggars laugh and sing to drown out her cries, though they are audible to Oldrents. He proposes a christening, but Randall informs him that the beggars will not remain long enough to hold one.
OLDRENTS
Oldrents is a wealthy and aged squire, known for his generosity and hospitality. Along with his steward Springlove, he keeps a guesthouse for beggars. Oldrents is melancholy because a fortune-teller has informed him that, despite his wealth and goodness, his daughters will be beggars. His daughters disappear, but at the urging of his friend Hearty, Oldrents puts on a show of constant mirth. While visiting Master Clack, Oldrents is reunited with his daughters, who stage an inset play revealing the fulfillment of the prophecy through their actions. In this play, Oldrents is himself a character played by the decayed lawyer. Oldrents also meets Patrico, who reveals himself as the fortuneteller who foretold the daughters' fate. Patrico also informs Oldrents that, many years ago, Patrico's sister, a beggar woman, secretly bore Oldrents a son and died. That son is Oldrents' own steward, Springlove. The play ends with Oldrents recognizing Springlove as his heir, thus ensuring the marriage of Springlove to Amie.
OLIVER
Oliver is the son of Master Clack. He is returning from London to witness his cousin Amie's marriage to Tallboy. On the way, he insults Hilliard who has begged him for alms and who, consequently, challenges him to a duel. Oliver also encounters Meriel and Rachel, is consumed with lust, and attempts to rape them. Informed of his cousin Amie's disappearance, Oliver travels to Oldrents' house with Tallboy and is entertained there. His insults are forgiven in the last scene.
PATRICO
Patrico is a fortune-teller and hedge-priest who travels with the beggar crew staying on Oldrents' estate. At the celebration following the birth of a child to one of the beggar women, Patrico tests Oldrents' character by offering him a virgin "doxy" or beggar for his pleasure. Patrico conducts the ceremony of the beggars' wedding and is apprehended by Sentwell. Appearing with the other beggars at Clack's house, Patrico reveals himself as the fortuneteller who foretold that Oldrents' daughters would be beggars. Patrico also informs Oldrents that, many years ago, Patrico's sister, a beggar woman, secretly bore Oldrents a son and died. That son is Oldrents' own steward, Springlove.
PATRICO'S SISTER
A "ghost character." Oldrents learns that, many years ago, Patrico's sister, a beggar woman, secretly bore Oldrents a son and died. That son is Oldrents' own steward, Springlove.
RACHEL
Rachel is the daughter of Oldrents and sister of Meriel. A fortuneteller has told their father that Rachel and Meriel will be beggars. Weary of their father's melancholy over this forecast, the sisters decide to fulfill it by leaving their father's house to go begging. They enlist the aid of their childhood sweethearts, Hilliard and Vincent, and Springlove, their father's steward and a sometimes beggar. The sisters must conceal their misery as beggars, and they are nearly raped by Oliver. When Sentwell breaks up the beggars' wedding, they disclose their identities and are brought to Master Clack's house, where they reunite with their father and where Rachel plays herself in the inset play before Oldrents.
RANDALL
Randall is Oldrents' groom. He is responsible for providing food, drink, and lodging at the guesthouse for beggars maintained on Oldrents' estate by Springlove. Randall expresses some ambivalence towards this responsibility. When Springlove departs to go begging, he gives Randall complete oversight of the guesthouse. When Oldrents suggests a christening for the child born in the guesthouse, Randall states that the merrymaking beggars will not be able to stay long enough to witness it. Randall is tempted to use some of the money, meant for the beggars' provisions, for his own use. When Randall informs Oldrents of his moral predicament, Oldrents tells him to keep the money and offers to maintain the guesthouse at his own personal expense. Throughout the play, Randall extols the virtues of Oldrents and tries to play himself in the inset play before Oldrents with which the play concludes.
SCRIBBLE
Also Beggar 1, Scribble is a decayed poet who has joined the crew of beggars staying on Oldrents' estate. He serves as the master of revels at the beggars' wedding.
SENTWELL
Sentwell is a friend of Master Clack and aids in the search for Clack's niece, Amie. Accompanied by the Constable, he interrupts the reception of the beggar wedding and apprehends Amie, along with Springlove, Oldrents' daughters, their sweethearts, and various beggars. Sentwell brings the crew to Master Clack's house, where Oldrents is reunited with his daughters and his steward, Springlove.
SOLDIER
Also Beggar 3, the soldier is a decayed soldier who has become a beggar and joined the crew of beggars staying on Oldrents' estate. He is to play Army in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding and plays Hearty in the inset play before Oldrents.
SPRINGLOVE
Springlove is Oldrents' steward and a beggar child whom Oldrents has raised. He, along with Oldrents, provides a guesthouse for beggars. Though he is an honest and faithful steward, Springlove has an inbred desire, every spring, to wander as a beggar and vagabond. Against Oldrents' wishes but ultimately with his consent, Springlove departs to beg. Unbeknownst to Oldrents, he is accompanied by Rachel and Meriel, Oldrents' daughters, and their sweethearts, Hilliard and Vincent. Springlove teaches them how to beg, but with only marginal success. In the course of their wanderings, Springlove encounters Amie, with whom he falls in love. With her and the rest of the beggar crew, Springlove arrives at Master Clack's house where he plays himself in the inset play before Oldrents and is reunited with Oldrents. Here Patrico also reveals that he is Springlove's uncle (on his mother's side) and that Springlove is Oldrents' son. The play concludes with Oldrents' promise to make Springlove his heir and Clack's concession to the marriage of Springlove and Amie.
TALLBOY
Tallboy is Clack's choice of husband for Amie. He accompanies Oliver in the search for Amie when she disappears with Martin. Tallboy vexes the other characters with his tears, moans, and sighs, though he forgets his griefs when Oldrents enjoins him to drown them in sack. Tallboy is also comforted when Martin loses Amie to the "beggar" Springlove.
USHER
Usher is Oldrents' usher, an official doorkeeper. He welcomes Oliver and Tallboy when they come searching for Amie.
UTOPIA
Utopia is the commonwealth represented in the aborted masque following the beggars' wedding. It is to be played by Rachel.
VINCENT
Vincent is a young gentleman and a childhood sweetheart to one of Oldrents' daughters, Meriel and Rachel. Along with Hilliard, he agrees to accompany Meriel and Rachel in their adventure as beggars. He and Hilliard try to conceal their misery during this adventure from Meriel and Rachel, who conceal theirs in turn. In the course of his begging, Hilliard is insulted by Oliver and challenges him via Vincent, to a duel, which goes unfought. When Sentwell arrives and breaks up the festivities of the beggar wedding, Vincent, along with Hilliard, Meriel, and Rachel, gives himself up and reveals his identity. Brought by Sentwell to Clack's house, he plays himself in the inset play before Oldrents.
WOMAN GIVING BIRTH
A "ghost character." At Oldrents' guesthouse, one of the beggar women, or "doxies" reportedly gives birth to a child. The other beggars laugh and sing to drown out her cries, though they are audible to Oldrents. He proposes a christening, but Randall informs him that the beggars will not remain long enough to hold one.