THE WISE WOMAN OF HOGSDON
[possibly the same play as Heywood's lost HOW TO LEARN OF A WOMAN TO WOO (acted 30 December 1604)]
circa 1604
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
BOYSTER
A friend and fellow gamester of Young Chartley. Boyster is also Young Chartley's rival for the affections of Luce. Because of his blunt nature, Boyster's attempts to woo Luce are too straightforward and unconventional, and he loses her to Young Chartley. Boyster consults the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon for her help to make Luce his wife. She arranges for Boyster and Luce, Young Chartley and Second Luce to be married secretly at her lodgings while disguised, but while Boyster has in fact married Luce he is led to believe that he has been gulled into marrying the Wise-Woman's servant-boy Jack, who is Second Luce in disguise. Still in love with Luce, he attempts again to woo her in vain (she now believing she is secretly married to Young Chartley), but when Boyster informs Luce that Young Chartley is to be married to Gratiana and Young Chartley publicly denies her, he is there at her rescue when she faints, demonstrating his worthiness. Having vowed revenge against the Wise-Woman for allegedly being duped in the earlier marriage plot, Boyster returns to the Wise-Woman's and threatens her, but she promises to bring about his marriage to Luce if he will be ruled. He relents, and becomes one of the party that confronts Young Chartley about his wrongdoings in the final scene. In due course the Wise-Woman reveals that it was Boyster and not Young Chartley who was wedded to Luce, and Luce's father accepts Boyster as his son-in-law.
CHILDREN
With the exception of his marriageable daughter, Gratiana, Sir Harry's children do not appear on stage. They are nevertheless the reason that Sir Harry hires Sir Boniface into his household to act as their tutor.
CICELY
A kitchen maid to Sir Harry, Cicely is only listed as "a Kitchen-maid" in the Dramatis Personae, but she is addressed by name by her fellow servant, Taber. She and Taber consult the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon together, where it is revealed that she is Taber's love interest, although little is made of this relationship in the play.
CITIZEN'S WIVES
Two of the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon's clients. Only one of the citizen's wives speaks. She is a widow who comes to inquire how many husbands she shall have. But other than helping to reveal to the audience the Wise-Woman's cozenage, her presence in the play has no impact on the plot.
COUNTRYMAN
One of the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon's clients. The countryman brings his wife's urine to the Wise-Woman for her to scry in the hopes of discovering her ailment and a cure. Other than revealing to the audience how the Wise-Woman cozens her clients by pumping them for information, his presence in the play has no impact on the plot.
GRACE
A nickname for Sir Harry's daughter, Gratiana.
GRATIANA
The beautiful and marriageable daughter of Sir Harry. Gratiana is sometimes referred to as "Grace" in the play. She is the love interest of Sencer, who woos her inappropriately by asking her father's blessing before securing hers, and she rebuffs him, initially preferring his friend and companion Haringfield. Young Chartley spies her in the street and, overcome by her beauty, determines to woo her even though he believes himself already married to Luce. Young Chartley presents a forged letter from his father Old Chartley to his friend Sir Harry indicating his wish to have their children marry. Sir Harry is pleased, and Gratiana acquiesces to her father's wishes. The night before the wedding Gratiana is lured to the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon's lodgings under the pretext of being presented with a gift of needlework and being told her fortunes in love. While there she learns firsthand of Young Chartley's double-dealing and is one of the party that confronts him about his wrongdoings. Sencer's involvement in revealing Young Chartley's misdeeds wins the loving approval of both Gratiana and her father, and Gratiana is happily paired with Sencer at the end of the play.
HARINGFIELD
Haringfield is the acquaintance of Young Chartley and Boyster and also friend to Sencer. Haringfield is a civil and mannered gentleman. He accompanies Sencer on his ill-fated attempt to woo Gratiana and testifies on his friend's behalf to Sir Harry. While Sencer is turned out of the house, Haringfield becomes a welcome guest in Sir Harry's household, and he momentarily piques the amorous interest of Gratiana. Haringfield's presence in the play does not have any direct impact on the plot, but his character serves as a contrast to his friend Sencer's less appropriate conduct, and the friendship itself signals that Sencer may possess more merit than first meets the eye.
JACK
The disguise adopted by Second Luce throughout much of the play.
JOSEPH
The apprentice to Luce's father but more often the companion of Luce. Joseph is a loyal servant who spends most of the play either minding the goldsmith's shop or consoling Luce, who is unhappily neglected by Young Chartley and forced to endure blows to her reputation as a result of keeping her marriage a secret. Joseph appears a few times in the play but his presence has no real impact on the plot.
LUCE
The daughter of a goldsmith and the love interest of rival wooers Boyster and Young Chartley. Luce is a virtuous maid chary of her reputation. She accepts Young Chartley as her husband, but he insists on a secret marriage so that he may secure his inheritance before making the marriage public. Luce arranges to have the ceremony secretly conducted at the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon's lodgings. But the Wise-Woman, in collusion with Boyster, arranges a double ceremony in which Luce is unwittingly married to Boyster instead, while Young Chartley is also unwittingly married to Second Luce. Luce and Young Chartley believe they are married to each other, however, and Luce is forced to pretend she is still a maid. Young Chartley neglects Luce and pursues a bigamous marriage with Gratiana. Discovering this, Luce realizes that she cannot prove that the marriage took place and that she is in neither a legal nor economic position to contest Young Chartley's marriage to Gratiana in court. She instead plots with the Wise-Woman to prevent the marriage, and lures Young Chartley to the Wise-Woman's lodgings with the invitation to a last fling before his marriage to Gratiana. The Wise-Woman, meanwhile, has arranged for all those who have been wronged by Young Chartley to be privy to the conversation between him and Luce. One by one they then come forward to confront him with his wrongdoings. Backed into a corner, Young Chartley attempts to reassert his claim to Luce as his wife but is thwarted by the Wise-Woman, who reveals that Luce has in fact married Boyster. Luce happily accepts Boyster as her husband at the end of the play.
LUCE'S FATHER
A goldsmith and "plain" citizen. Luce's Father is not addressed by name in the play. He approves of his daughter Luce's marriage to Young Chartley, a socially advantageous match, but expresses justified concern about Young Chartley's desire to keep the marriage a secret until Young Chartley can secure his inheritance. He worries over the damage it does to both his and his daughter's reputations. Young Chartley convinces Luce's Father to keep the marriage a secret for a month longer. Luce's Father's kindness and trust in Young Chartley is soon betrayed, however, when Young Chartley denies knowing him in the street. He and Luce realize they have been abused. Luce's Father is furious, but agrees to be ruled by his daughter and adhere to the plan that she has devised. He becomes a member of the party that confronts Young Chartley about his misdeeds at the end of the play. When the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon reveals that Luce has not in fact married Young Chartley but rather Boyster, Luce's Father welcomes Boyster as his son-in-law.
MOTHER REDCAP
A "ghost character." Although she does not appear on stage, Mother Redcap apparently runs an alehouse adjacent to the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon's lodgings. Young Chartley and Haringfield visit her establishment before going, half-drunk, to see the Wise-Woman, and the alehouse is mentioned elsewhere in the play as a local landmark.
OLD CHARTLEY
Friend to Sir Harry, and father to Young Chartley, Old Chartley arrives in London near the end of the play in search of his wayward son. Upon his arrival he encounters Sir Harry. The two of them soon realize that Young Chartley has duped them both. He visits the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon in the hopes of discovering what his son is up to, and ends up becoming a member of the party who confront Young Chartley about his wrongdoings at the Wise-Woman's house. He welcomes Second Luce as his daughter-in-law when it is revealed that she and Young Chartley are married.
OLD CHARTLEY'S MEN
Old Chartley arrives in London with "three or four" servingmen, but only one of them speaks. He merely confirms that there has been no news in response to inquiries about the whereabouts of Young Chartley.
ROBIN
Young Chartley's given name, it is mentioned only once in the play.
SECOND LUCE
A clever, rich, and attractive maid, Second Luce has traveled to London disguised as a page to track down her wayward fiancé Young Chartley, who fled to London the night before their wedding. She arrives in London in time to overhear Young Chartley propose marriage to Luce and their plan to have the wedding conducted secretly at the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon's lodgings. Second Luce resolves to go to the Wise-Woman's herself, and she insinuates herself into the Wise-Woman's service as a boy servant named Jack in order to prevent the marriage. In addition to learning all of the Wise-Woman's cozening practices, she participates in the disguised double marriage plot: as "Jack" Second Luce marries Young Chartley, who believes he is marrying Luce. No sooner has Second Luce secretly thwarted Young Chartley's marriage plans, however, than she discovers that Young Chartley intends a bigamous marriage to Gratiana. Conspiring with the Wise-Woman and all those whom Young Chartley has wronged, she helps to arrange for these characters to confront Young Chartley with his misdeeds. Rejected by both Luce and Gratiana, and discovering that he has been duped into "marrying" a boy, Young Chartley is humbled. In the final moments of the play Second Luce reveals her true identity as the woman Young Chartley was to have married and that she is now truly his wife. The ceremony is binding because her name is also Luce. This revelation provides a happy ending for all but the Wise-Woman, who is horrified to discover that she has been duped into revealing her cozening secrets to Second Luce.
SENCER
Described as a "conceited gentleman" in the dramatis personae, Sencer is a gallant in love with Gratiana. After gaming with Young Chartley and Boyster, Sencer goes to Sir Harry's house to woo Gratiana, accompanied by his friend Haringfield. However, his attempt to ingratiate himself with Sir Harry fails miserably, even with Haringfield's testimonial on his behalf. Sir Harry recalls Sencer's reputation as a roisterer and bans him from his house, vowing that the day he bids Sencer welcome and invites him to enjoy his hospitality is the day he will give consent for Sencer to marry Gratiana. Sencer disguises himself as "Sir Timothy", and as a rival scholar to Sir Boniface insinuates himself into Sir Harry's household by outwitting Sir Boniface in a display of learning and making Sir Harry believe that Sir Boniface's Latin is obscene. When Young Chartley arrives and begins to woo Gratiana, Sencer reveals his true identity and lays claim to Gratiana for himself. He claims to have satisfied the conditions of Sir Harry's oath by being welcomed into the household, but Sir Harry declares the claim invalid because trickery was used. Vowing to be revenged of the smug Young Chartley and prevent his wedding to Gratiana, Sencer disguises himself again as a servingman and seeks the aid of the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon. As the servingman, Sencer arranges for those who have been wronged by Young Chartley to rendezvous at the Wise-Woman's lodgings, where they confront him with his misdeeds. When Sencer's role in saving Gratiana from a disastrous marriage is revealed, Sencer wins the loving approval of both Gratiana and Sir Harry, and Sir Harry welcomes him as his future son-in-law.
SERVINGMAN
One of the disguises adopted by Sencer. As a "servingman," Sencer helps the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon and Second Luce engineer Young Chartley's downfall at the end of the play.
SIR BONIFACE
Sir Boniface Absee, addressed only as "Sir Boniface" in the play, is a scholar hired by Sir Harry to tutor his children. Irritatingly prone to speaking in Latin even when other characters beseech him to converse in English, Sir Boniface is consequently often misunderstood by Sir Harry and his servant Taber. Sir Boniface is also a deacon, and in that capacity is a confederate of the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon who christens the illegitimate children who come temporarily into her care. It is Sir Boniface who conducts the secret double wedding ceremony between Luce and Boyster and Young Chartley and Second Luce. When Sencer infiltrates Sir Harry's household disguised as "Sir Timothy", a rival scholar competing for Sir Boniface's position, Sir Boniface's propensity for speaking in Latin is turned against him. "Sir Timothy" convinces Sir Harry that Sir Boniface's Latin is obscene, and Sir Boniface is dismissed from service. He is reinstated when "Sir Timothy" reveals that he is really Sencer and is shunned by Sir Harry. Once Sir Boniface regains his position in Sir Harry's household, he ceases to be a major agent in the play.
SIR HARRY
Father to Gratiana. Sir Harry is an ignorant but well-meaning knight. He is unimpressed with Sencer's bad reputation and inappropriate attempt to woo his daughter. He bans Sencer from his house, vowing that the day he bids Sencer welcome and invites him to enjoy his hospitality is the day he will give consent for Sencer to marry Gratiana. Sir Harry hires Sir Boniface to tutor his children, including Gratiana, but routinely misunderstands Sir Boniface's Latin. Sencer, disguised as "Sir Timothy" a rival scholar to Sir Boniface, insinuates himself into Sir Harry's household by making Sir Harry believe Sir Boniface's Latin is obscene. Meanwhile, Young Chartley presents Sir Harry with a forged letter allegedly from his father Old Chartley, indicating Old Chartley's desire to have their children wed. Sir Harry is pleased with the idea and urges Gratiana to accept Young Chartley as her husband. Witnessing this, Sencer doffs his disguise and lays claim to Gratiana himself, having satisfied the conditions of Sir Harry's oath by being welcomed into the household. Instead, Sir Harry declares the claim invalid because trickery was used. When Sir Harry encounters his friend Old Chartley in the street, he is incensed to discover Old Chartley's ignorance of the impending match between Gratiana and Young Chartley, and confronts him with the forged letter. Sir Harry and Old Chartley quickly realize Young Chartley has cozened them, but Sir Harry, having earlier been called to the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon's house, leaves to meet his appointment. Sir Harry becomes one of the party that confronts Young Chartley about his wrongdoings. When he discovers Sencer's role in preventing Gratiana's wedding and eventual ruin, he welcomes him as his future son-in-law.
SIR TIMOTHY
One of the disguises adopted by Sencer. As "Sir Timothy," Sencer pretends to be a rival scholar to Sir Boniface, humiliating him before his employer, Sir Harry. By making Sir Boniface's Latin appear obscene to the ignorant Sir Harry and his servant Taber, "Sir Timothy" insinuates himself into Sir Harry's household, but is thwarted and humiliated when he reveals his true identity.
TABER
Taber is a servant to Sir Harry. He and Cicely consult the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon. Taber asks whether he and Cicely are fated to be together, but nothing more is made of this relationship in the play. Although he appears on stage quite often and has a substantial number of lines, Taber's presence in the play does not directly impact the plot. Instead, his main role appears to be to deliver clever dialogue while otherwise performing conventional servant duties, such as escorting guests in and out of Sir Harry's house.
WISE-WOMAN OF HOGSDON
A master charlatan and plotter. The Wise-Woman of Hogsdon is a central figure in many of the play's plots. In addition to cozening her neighbors by professing gifts in prophecy, palmistry, and scrying urine, she is also involved in numerous nefarious underworld affairs, such as running a brothel and a baby-brokering illegitimate and unwanted children. She takes into her service Second Luce, disguised as a boy named Jack, to whom she reveals her cozening practices and who aids her in her manipulation of the various marriage plots in the play. She agrees to help Luce secretly marry Young Chartley. But she holds a grudge against Young Chartley for insulting her. Importuned by Boyster to arrange a marriage between him and Luce, she arranges a disguised double marriage plot in which Boyster marries Luce and Young Chartley marries "Jack." The secrecy of this plot creates further complications, however:
Boyster believes that he has been cozened into "marrying" a boy and is angry with the Wise-Woman.
Young Chartley, believing he has married Luce, nevertheless pursues a bigamous marriage with Gratiana.
Luce, neglected by Young Chartley and unable to prove the marriage took place, turns to the Wise-Woman to help prevent Young Chartley's second marriage.
Sencer, who is in love with Gratiana, is about to be displaced by Young Chartley and also turns to the Wise-Woman for help.
The Wise-Woman promises set everything right, and plots with Luce to expose Young Chartley's wrongdoings. They arrange to have Young Chartley meet with Luce at the Wise-Woman's house (ostensibly for one last fling before his bigamous wedding). There, everyone whom Young Chartley has wronged arrive in advance and station themselves in rooms adjoining the main room. When Young Chartley arrives, the others overhear his conversation with Luce, and he is confronted with his lies and deceptions one by one as each of the eavesdroppers emerge from hiding. The Wise-Woman exposes the truth:
that Luce is in fact married to Boyster,
that Sencer's role in saving Gratiana from a disastrous marriage proves him worthy to have Gratiana, and
that Young Chartley has been cozened into marrying the servant boy Jack.
However, the cozening Wise-Woman is herself cozened when "Jack" reveals that he is really Second Luce and hence lawfully married to Young Chartley.
YOUNG CHARTLEY
A gamester, gallant, and prodigal son to Old Chartley. Young Chartley fled the country to London the night before his wedding to Second Luce. In London, he woos and proposes marriage to Luce, but wishes to keep the marriage secret until he can secure his inheritance. Luce arranges for them to be married secretly at the Wise-Woman of Hogsdon's lodgings. But the Wise-Woman, who has her own grudge against Young Chartley, plans a disguised double marriage plot in which Luce is actually married to Boyster, and Young Chartley is married to the Wise-Woman's servant boy "Jack", who (unknown to all) is really Second Luce in disguise. Believing he is married to Luce, Young Chartley nevertheless affects Gratiana and resolves to woo and marry her. He presents a forged letter to Gratiana's father Sir Harry, allegedly written by Old Chartley, indicating Old Chartley's desire to have their children marry. Sir Harry is pleased with the idea and urges Gratiana to accept Young Chartley as a suitor. The night before his wedding to Gratiana, Young Chartley receives a letter from Luce promising a last fling before his impending marriage. He only needs to meet her at the Wise-Woman's house. Young Chartley determines to meet her, telling Sir Harry that the letter is from his father on his deathbed and that he must leave immediately. All of the characters whom Young Chartley has wronged, knowingly or not, gather at the Wise-Woman's house before his arrival. They are stationed in rooms off of the main room where he is to meet Luce. When Young Chartley arrives, the others overhear his conversation with Luce and confront him with his lies and deceptions one by one as each of the eavesdroppers reveal themselves. Young Chartley is utterly deflated, rejected by both Luce and Gratiana, and vows to pursue an honest life. He is saved from complete humiliation by the revelation that "Jack" is really Second Luce, and that through her clever trickery she is now his lawful wife.
YOUNG CHARTLEY'S MAN
Young Chartley sends his servant after Taber to inquire about the identity of a beautiful woman who has passed him in the street. She turns out to be Gratiana.