Courtier. He arrives at Prince John's to give Valesco a bunch of grapes. These are the grapes that the prince pretends are poisoned in order to trick Valasco into drinking poison disguised as medicine. In the king's name, he gives "Lupo" five hundred pistolets.
ANDRADA MALEVENTO
Tormiella's father. He awakes to find his daughter missing. He sends Bilbo to see if Gazetto has stolen her. Discovering she is not with Gazetto or in Cordova, he decides to look in Seville with Gazetto. He meets Cordolente there and is quickly reconciled to the situation. After the king takes Tormiella to court, he offers to make Malevento Vice Admiral of the Navy. He loses the title at play's end when the repentant king likens him to a bawd who sold his daughter for gain. He does not care, however, because he had been "like a Lord in a play, and that done, my part ends."
BACCHUS
Only mentioned. Valesco and Granada admire his grapes.
BARBER SURGEON
A "ghost character." Bilbo saw him with Tormiella on Saturday night, very late. come to 'trim her'. Malevento calls the barber a Muskcod. According to Bilbo, he knew it was a barber because he wore a checkered apron and smelled of "Camphire, Bay leaves and Rose water." He was at least half an hour "fiddling with Tormeilla" on a "Citterne with a man's broken head at it" that Bilbo took him to be a barber surgeon.
BILBO CAVEARE
Servant to Malevento and later journeyman to Cordolente. He is the comic relief of the play and discovers Tormiella at Cordolente's house and accepts his bribe to keep quiet while the newlyweds escape from Cordova to Seville. He runs away with them to help run Cordolente's shop. In IV.ii he debates with Coxcomb over the relative merits of court versus city, taking the side of the citizen.
CHURCHMEN, TWO
In a dumb show, they prepare for the wedding of the king to Tormiella.
CORDOLENTE
A leather worker. Tormiella's husband, apparently by secret contract of marriage. Discovered with Tormiella by Bilbo, he suggests they run away from Cordova to Seville to escape her father's wrath and bribes Bilbo to keep quiet. He soon meets Malevento in Seville and reconciles him to being his father-in-law. When gentlemen and women arrive to take Tormiella away in a coach, he believes he is cuckolded. The king calls for him to give him a title, but he upbraids the king, saying he has already given him the title of cuckold. He goes to Tormiella disguised as her shoemaker and they plot to escape together at an apt opportunity. When Gazetto informs him that she plans to marry the king, he agrees to murder her at the altar. In a dumb show, he attempts the murder but stops when she runs weeping to him. He is then cast from the wedding. At play's end, he is reunited with Tormiella by a repentant king.
COXCOMB
A court fantastic. He exists in the play only to engage in a debate with Bilbo in IV.ii comparing the court to the city.
CYNAMOMO
A "ghost character." He is a shopkeeper, a "Comfit maker with rotten teeth" that Bilbo says "comes hither a batfowling every Moone-shine night." Bilbo suggests he might be a comfit maker because he gave Tormiella a candied root that she swore was the sweetest thing.
DANAE
Only mentioned. Dildoman advises the king to drop gold into Tormiella's lap to win her the way Jove won Danae.
DILDOMAN
An old woman and a bawd; "the king's nuthook." Her husband, a poor knight, lies in the Counter. She tells the lecherous king of the arrival of the newly married Tormiella in Seville and arouses his lust for her. At play's end, the king orders her to be whipped four times around the town for inflaming his lust and causing all the play's woes.
DOCTOR
Two doctors figure in the play.
The first has been tending to Prince John. The prince hires him to poison Don Pedro Valasco. He gives the old man a sleeping potion instead to fool the prince then goes and confesses all to the king.
The second is a disguise adopted by Gazetto in order to cure Tormiella of her madness.
DON JOHN
Prince of Spain and brother to the king. He aims at his brother's throne and has closed with Portugal to help him. First, though, he must gain Valesco's approval and then the Spanish people's. Unable to win Valesco to his side, he bribes the doctor to poison the old man. After pretending that they have both been poisoned with grapes, he has the doctor administer a fatal draught and kill Valasco. When brought to the king on charges of killing the old man, he claims Valasco is the traitor but is confined to his chamber. The king discovers that the prince conspired with Portugal against him and sends Valasco to oversee the prince's execution. Asked to choose his manner of death, Prince John chooses the halberd, which Valasco says is the hardest of all. He appears at play's end, miraculously unexecuted, and swears love and loyalty to his redeemed brother the king.
ENGLISHMAN
A "ghost character." Bilbo suggests an Englishman has stolen Tormiella because the English are the best thieves and cony-catchers.
FRIARS, TWO
In a dumb show, they prepare for the wedding of the king to Tormiella.
GALLANTS
Two enter Cordolente's shop, say nothing, and leave without buying.
GENTLEMEN of the COURT
They come to get Tormiella after she leaves the king. They jest with Cordolente in a manner that tells him that the king has cuckolded him.
IAGO
Courtier. When the king asks whether Tormiella is mad, he says, "As a March whore."
JOVE
Only mentioned. Dildoman often compares the king to Jove.
JUNO
Only mentioned. The king likens the queen's jealousy to that of Juno.
KING of SPAIN
He is overbearing, cruel, and lustful. He suspects his brother's intentions to overthrow him and warns Valesco not to side with the prince. Dildoman tells the king of the arrival of the newlywed Tormiella in Seville, and he lusts for girl. He and Dildoman go to Cordolente's shop and trick Tormiella into returning with them. When she refuses him, he lets her go home to think about what good it will do her to yield when next he calls her. He calls her to him and scorns the queen's insults. Learning that Prince John is plotting against him, he has his brother called to court. When Prince John and Valasco accuse one another, the king has both confined to their chambers. When the queen tells him that Tormiella has run away, he rages and reveals to her how much the girl means to him. He woos the girl, but she still resists. He calls for her husband and father and promises to raise them up or destroy them depending upon her answer to him. He makes Malevento Vice Admiral of the Navy but Cordolente upbraids the king. Later, the king discovers that the prince conspired with Portugal against him and sends Valasco to oversee the prince's execution. The king lays a trap to make Martines appear to be the queen's lover and sends both to prison. Next, he employs "Lupo" to kill the queen and Cordolente. When the king hears that the queen is dead, he says he will marry Tormiella (although he has learned that she is mad). In a dumb show, the wedding is halted by thunder and lightning. He learns from Tormiella that Gazetto swore her to murder him in his wedding sheets. When Gazetto confesses, the king renounces his lust, is overjoyed that his queen is still alive, and blesses the marriage of Tormiella and Cordolente. He then forgives his brother, Prince John, who is also not dead, and finally forgives Gazetto and recommends him to John.
KNIGHT, POOR
A "ghost character." Dildoman's husband. He lies in the Counter.
LADIES of the COURT
They come to get Tormiella after she leaves the king. They dress her in fresh garments and a mask before leading her from Cordolente's house into a coach.
LAZARILLO
Apprentice to Cordolente. He watches the shop.
LUKE GAZETTO
Tormiella's lover according to the dramatis personae, but Tormiella says she loathes him. Malevento has promised Tormiella to Gazetto, but there has been no contract. They were to be married on St. Luke's day before she disappeared. Unable to find Tormiella in Cordova, he decides to look in Seville with Malevento. In his disguise as Lupo, he delights in tormenting Cordolente with his cuckolding. He takes a letter as the king dictates and in reflecting his words ironically speaks his own mind not unlike the echo scene in The Duchess of Malfi (IV.iv). The king employs him to kill the queen and Cordolente, but Gazetto privately determines not to kill the queen. He goes to the king to report her death and learns that Tormiella is mad and the king intends to marry her. He disguises himself as a doctor in an attempt to cure her madness. He tricks her into betraying her plan to run away with Cordolente and forces her to swear to marry and then murder the king. He next encourages Cordolente to make ready to kill Tormiella as she's at the altar marrying the king. In a dumb show, he laughs when Cordolente fails to murder her and is cast out. When Tormiello tells the king of Gazetto's treasonous plan, Gazetto unmasks and confesses all. He tells the king the joyful news that he has not murdered the queen. The king forgives him and recommends him to Prince John, and then Tormiella forgives him.
LUPO VINDICADO
A disguise that Gazetto adopts in Seville whilst looking for Tormiella. Thus diguised, he finds Tormiella, who does not recognize him. After the king has made Tormiella his concubine, "Lupo" offers himself to the king as a "turne broach" advisor. The king accepts him and gives him five hundred pistolets.
LYAES
Only mentioned. The vine where Granada gathered his grapes he says was set by Lyaes.
MARQUESSE of VILLA NOVA del RIOS
A "ghost character." Alphonso de Granada gathers grapes in her garden.
MARTINES CAZALLA de BARAMEDA
Courtier. His saucy manner to the king betrays him as one of the queen's spies. He brings the king a heart-shaped jewel from the queen as token of her love. The king tricks him into appearing the queen's lover and has both sent to prison.
MUSKCOD
A term of derision Malevento uses to refer to a barber seen "fiddling" with Tormiella.
NIGHTMARE
A "ghost character" and fictitious. When Cordolente learns he is to be cuckolded, he says the Night-Mare rides his wife.
OFFICERS
The accompany Gazetto (in his guise as Lupo) in his quest for Tormiella in Seville.
PACHECO
Page to Prince John. Ties up his master's points whilst making bawdy puns.
PEDRO VALASCO, DON
The Admiral of Castile and father to the queen. Prince John calls him the Dogfish that he first must catch before he can attain the throne. The king cows him before the prince is able to rally him to the cause of overthrow. He goes to the prince to tell him that the king has taken a citizen's wife to his bed and he means to upbraid the king for so humiliating his daughter. The prince encourages Valasco to do more and overthrow the tyrant. After eating grapes, the prince convinces him that he has been poisoned. Although Valasco mistrusts him, he is tricked into drinking poison disguised as medicine. The poison is in fact a sleeping potion the doctor has made. Prince John reveals that Valasco had uttered treason about the king's stumpet, and the old man is confined to his chamber. When the king discovers that the prince was conspiring with Portugal, Valasco is forgiven and sent to oversee the prince's execution. At play's end, he is overjoyed to learn that his daughter has not been murdered.
PUSKEENA
A "ghost character." Kitchen maid to Malevento.
QUEEN of SPAIN
She takes exception to the king's courtesan, Tormiella, and makes her a waiting lady to shame them both. She later is happy to tell the king that Tormiella has run away from court. It is all a test, however, to see how much the king prizes the girl. She prepares to murder Tormiella with two knives but relents when she discovers the girl has not slept with the king and would rather die. The king creates a situation that makes it seem that she has taken Martines as her lover and both are sent to prison. Gazetto is sent to kill her and returns with news of her death, though it is a false report. She returns at play's end to forgive her repentant husband.
SAGITARIUS
Gazetto calls one of the officers Sagitarius. Probably not his name but rather a cant term referring to the advice he gives being 'well shot.'
TOBACCO–DRINKERS
"Ghost characters." Bilbo says sweet breath is not to be found amongst them.
TORMIELLA
Malvento's sixteen-year-old daughter. Although her father has promised her to Gazetto, there is not contract, and she secretly marries Cordolente. Discovered there by Bilbo, she agrees to run away from Cordova to Seville to escape her father's wrath. She is glad to learn that her husband and father have met and reconciled. The king and Dildoman trick her into going with them to sell them some wares. When she refuses him, he lets her go home to think about what good it will do her to yield when next he calls her. She goes to him when he calls, but the jealous queen makes her a lady in her retinue. When the queen threatens to murder her with two knives, she confesses that she has not slept with the king and vows she would rather die than dishonor her husband. The king again woos her, and she resists him. Cordolente goes to Tormiella disguised as her shoemaker and they plot to escape together at an apt opportunity. The king hears that she has gone mad, but he determines to marry her anyway. Gazetto tricks her into betraying her plan to run away with Cordolento and, under his power, makes her swear to marry and murder the king. In a dumb show, the wedding is halted by thunder and lightning. Tormiella tells the king that Gazetto swore her to murder him in his wedding sheets. At play's end, she is reunited with Cordolente by a repentant king. She forgives Gazetto.
WELSH AMBASSADOR
A 'ghost character" and likely fictitious. One of the gentlemen of court tells Cordolente that the Welsh Embassador sends him a message that he will be with him soon, when the moon's horns are full. The meaning is Cordolente will soon wear cuckold's horns.