Anne is to be the wife of King Richard III, successor of Edward IV.
BOURBON
The Frenchman Bourbon agrees with the King of France that it is better to win peace than to war with England.
BEDFORD
A "ghost character". Bourbon mentions Bedford as an Englishman who wreaked havoc in past battles with the French.
BUCKINGHAM
Buckingham has been a supporter of Richard in plots to ascend to the throne. Approaching the newly crowned King Richard, Buckingham claims a promised reward: possession of the Earl of Hereford's land. Buckingham realizes the deep evil of the new king when the request is denied and promises to see King Richard deposed by Harry Richmond.
CAPTAIN HARRY STRANGUIDGE
Captain Harry Stranguidge is a kinsman of Sir Robert Brackenbury. The Captain is condemned for seizing a French ship, an act he committed without knowledge of the recently formed peace between England and France.
CHARLES, DUKE OF BURGUNDY
Charles, Duke of Burgundy is a French nobleman who delays providing promised aid for the British invasion of France. The Duke has something of a game going with the ex-Constable of France S. Paul; both men hope for personal gain from the English invasion, both promise but delay aid to Edward IV, and both denigrate their own king. Both King Lewis of France and King Edward eventually discover Burgundy's treachery.
CHORUS
The Chorus enters at the close of the "French" segment of the play to provide an oral bridge that returns Edward to England after his French campaign and introduces a "new tale" of Matthew Shore and his wife Jane.
COUNT EARL S. PAUL, CONSTABLE OF FRANCE
Count Earl S. Paul was at one time Constable of France. He makes a joke of his promised aid to King Edward in the war effort against the French, playing both sides against each other in hopes of personal gain. In competition with the Duke of Burgundy, who plays a similar double-cross, the Constable is forever suspicious of his compatriot. His treachery is eventually revealed before both King Lewis and King Edward.
DIGHTON
Dighton is a hired murderer. He goes to the Tower with Forrest and with James Tiril. Upon the strength of Tiril's warrant signed by Gloster, Dighton and Forrest enter the Tower, and Dighton murders Prince Edward (now technically Edward V), son of the late King Edward IV.
DOCTOR SHAW
Doctor Shaw works closely with Gloster in assuring the latter's rise to power. When King Edward worries incessantly over a prophecy that a man called "G" would betray and succeed him, Shaw claims that the "G" stands for George, Duke of Clarence, when in fact the "G" of the prophecy refers to Gloster. Shaw also counterfeits evidence that King Edward's sons, Prince Edward and Prince Richard, are illegitimate; the boys are afterward murdered in the Tower. Shaw is visited by the ghost of Friar Anselme, the cleric whose prophecy Shaw has deliberately misinterpreted and who promises doom for Shaw, a prophecy that is not misrepresented and does in fact occur.
DUKE OF EXETER
A "ghost character". The Duke of Exeter is found dead in the sea. His death is falsely attributed to Captain Stranguidge and crew.
EDWARD IV
King Edward IV of England begins the play determined to win the crown of France, to which he feels he has the sovereign right. Promised aid by the French Duke of Burgundy and Count S. Paul, Edward discovers the duplicity of both of these French noblemen. Having peacefully obtained the French crown, King Edward arranges for King Lewis of France to witness the double-dealings of Burgundy and S. Paul; Edward then returns to England. Plagued by a prophecy of disaster, Edward heeds the false interpretation of Doctor Shaw, and George, Duke of Clarence is imprisoned on the Tower where he is later murdered. When King Edward dies, the crown is viciously sought and obtained by Richard, Duke of Gloster.
FIRST APPARATOR
The First Apparator is a Bishop who discovers Mistress Jane Shore in the house of Mistress Blages. He orders the disgraced Jane to proceed through the streets stripped of her finery, wearing only a white sheet and carrying a taper.
FOGGE
Fogge is a companion of Master Rufford and appears with the latter in presenting counterfeit letters supposedly signed by Gloster and allowing foreign sale of English goods.
FORREST
Forrest is a hired murderer. He goes to the Tower with Dighton and with James Tiril. Upon the strength of Tiril's warrant signed by Gloster, Forrest and Dighton enter the Tower, and Forrest murders Prince Richard of York, son of the late King Edward IV.
FRIAR ANSELME'S GHOST
Friar Anselme is a churchman who, while alive, uttered a prophecy about "G" being dangerous to King Edward IV. Doctor Shaw deliberately misinterprets Anselme's prophecy, and Anselme's ghost appears to the treacherous Shaw late in the play, promising doom to Shaw for helping produce so much evil.
GEORGE, DUKE OF CLARENCE
Clarence is one of many in the royal line who is murdered as a result of falsely interpreted prophecy. Doctor Shaw claims that the "G" in Friar Anselme's prophecy is George, indicating that the Duke of Clarence is a danger to the King. George is taken to the Tower; his body is later discovered there sealed in a butt of Malmsey wine.
HERALD OF ENGLAND
Edward sends this unnamed Herald to Lewis of France. He announces that Edward is coming to France to take his rightful crown.
HARRY RICHMOND
Richmond is a "ghost character", but Buckingham pledges that Richard will be deposed and that Richmond will be seated as king.
HENRY II
A "ghost character". King Henry II does not appear in the play but is mentioned by the Queen to Jane Shore as a monarch who kept his courtesan in a labyrinth.
HENRY VI
A "ghost character". Bourbon mentions King Henry as one who wreaked havoc in past battles with the French; Henry does not appear in the play.
JAMES TIRIL
Tiril is a man of few scruples and is hired by Gloster as a murderer. He is given a warrant ordering the deaths of the two young princes held in the Tower. He carries the warrant to the Tower; his confederates Dighton and Forrest commit the actual murders.
JEFFREY
Jeffrey is a companion of Jocky. The two are arrested for giving food to the disgraced Mistress Jane Shore.
JOCKY
Jocky serves Jane Shore. He runs to Marshalsea Prison announcing that a last-minute pardon for Captain Stranguidge and company is coming via Jane. He is later arrested for providing food to the disgraced Jane.
LEWIS, KING OF FRANCE
Lewis is certain that France has not wronged Edward of England in any way. He sees peace, however, as preferable at almost any cost to war, and he willingly cedes his crown upon Edward's demand when the English monarch comes to France. Hidden in Edward's chamber, Lewis overhears the details concerning the treachery of French nobles Burgundy and S. Paul; both men claim to hate the French king, yet both renege on promises of war aid to Edward, hoping for personal gain in their duplicity.
LORD HOWARD
Howard is an English courtier who accompanies Edward to France. He suggests that his king demand homage and yearly tributes of Lewis, and he is sent in disguise to spy upon the duplicitous Count S. Paul.
LORD LOVELL
Lovell announces to Doctor Shaw that George, Duke of Clarence has been found drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine.
LORD MARQUES DORSET
Dorset is the son of Edward IV's queen. He brings Mistress Jane to the Queen and urges his mother to show no mercy to Shore. He is quite willing to take revenge upon the king's mistress if his mother cannot or will not do so.
LORD ST. PIERRE
St. Pierre is a French nobleman who derides the Duke of Burgundy to the French king.
LORD SCALES
Scales is a British nobleman who does not believe that the French Duke of Burgundy will come to support Edward's invasion of France. Scales is shot down outside S. Quintius, where Edward was supposed to meet with Count S. Paul to discuss support for Edward's French campaign.
LORD OF CONTE
The French Duke of Burgundy sends the Lord of Conte to tell Edward of Count S. Paul's treachery.
MASTER AIRE
Aire is a supporter of Jane Shore. He demands that Master Rufford stop tormenting Jane, and he is later condemned for aiding the lady.
MASTER FLUD
Flud is the alias assumed by Matthew Shore.
MASTER MATTHEW SHORE
Matthew Shore was husband to Jane Shore. Returning to England after a self-imposed exile, Shore assumes the name of Flud and is imprisoned because he was passenger upon a ship that attacked a French vessel during peacetime. Still in love with Jane, Shore notes the irony in repeatedly being saved via her efforts, even though his disguise keeps him unknown to her until play's end. Stabbed by Tiril, Shore receives help at the home of Mistress Blages. Caught ministering to Jane, Shore is granted reprieve by Gloster upon the condition that Shore receive Jane again as wife. Unwilling to accept her despite his continuing affection, Shore dies at the side of Jane and is buried in the same grave with her.
MASTER RUFFORD
Rufford is a mean-spirited and vengeful man who taunts Jane Shore in her disgrace. He obtains writs from Gloster that allow him to arrest those who would give aid to the outcast mistress of the former king. He also forges Gloster's signature on letters that give permission for the sale of English goods to foreign nations. He is arrested and sent to be drawn and quartered as punishment for forgery.
MISTRESS BLAGES
The old friend of Mistress Shore who earlier counseled Jane about accepting Edward's advances, Blages is unwilling to help the disgraced Shore upon discovering Gloster's edict against aiding and abetting. Blages hopes to keep the belongings of Jane but is caught before Jane can leave the premises of the Blages home. The woman's goods are confiscated and she is thrown into the streets wearing only her petticoat. She reconciles with Jane near play's end.
MISTRESS JANE SHORE
Jane Shore has left the home of her husband and entered the court of King Edward IV as courtesan. Her easy access to and influence upon the king enable her much-lauded beneficence to the poor and imprisoned; much of the work Jane takes on is part of her self-appointed penance for infidelity. Thrown out of court and disgraced when Richard of Gloster comes to power, Jane seeks refuge at Mistress Blages' home only to be rebuffed by that woman in the face of Gloster's no-aid edict. Set upon the street garbed in a white sheet, Shore suffers hardships only slightly lessened by those who try to aid her and who are arrested for their charity. Matthew Shore also offers aid but refuses to take her back as wife-the condition offered by Gloster. Jane dies beside her ex-husband on the street, and they are buried together.
MONSIEUR MUGEROUN
Mugeroun is a French courtier sent by Lewis of France to negotiate with Edward. Mugeroun brings to Edward the French king's offer to meet and discuss peace.
MONSIEUR ROFFE
Roffe is secretary to the French noble Count Earl S. Paul. His master sends him with a message to Edward telling of the Duke of Burgundy's treachery.
PRINCE EDWARD LATER EDWARD V
One of the "little princes" of the tower. Son of king Edward IV and heir apparent, the young Prince Edward is declared illegitimate, locked in the Tower, and slain by Dighton on the order of Gloster.
PRINCE RICHARD OF YORK
One of the "little princes" of the tower. Son of King Edward IV, Prince Richard is declared illegitimate, locked in the Tower, and slain by Forrest on the order of Gloster.
QUEEN
The Queen is wife to Edward. She has Jane Shore brought before her while the king is away. She speaks sarcastically of Jane as a sister queen and describes the many titles that Jane should have by virtue of her relationship with the king and her position in court. Urged by her son to kill or at least maim Jane, the Queen does indeed lift a knife. However, she casts the weapon aside, forgiving Jane for woman's weakness in the face of an all-powerful king.
RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOSTER LATER RICHARD III
Gloster is a vile hunchback who murders and connives his way to the throne. He works with Doctor Shaw to have a prophecy misinterpreted, allowing King Edward IV to believe that George, Duke of Clarence, is a danger to the crown. Gloster also orders the murders of Edward's sons, Edward and Richard of York. two young princes that Shaw helps to declare illegitimate after Edward's death. Gloster expels Mistress Shore from court. The only person allowed to offer her aid is Matthew Shore-provided he take her back as wife. Gloster marries Anne of Warwicke, and once crowned as King Richard III, he reneges on earlier promises to Buckingham who in turn promises to see Richmond depose him.
SIR ROBERT BRACKENBURY
Brackenbury is originally in charge of Marshalsea Prison and later master of the Tower. He asks Mistress Shore's help in pardoning an imprisoned kinsman, Captain Harry Stranguidge, who captured a French ship in ignorance of the recently made French-English peace.
SIR THOMAS SELLINGER
Traveling with Edward during the French campaign, Sellinger is assigned to spy upon the French Duke of Burgundy.
SIR WILLIAM CATESBY
Catesby announces to Master Shore that king Edward IV has died and that Richard has been made Lord Protector of the dead king's young sons, Edward and Richard of York.
TALBOT
A "ghost character". Bourbon mentions Talbot as one who wreaked havoc in past battles with the French; Talbot does not appear in the play.