Thomas Middleton
(and Thomas Dekker?)

FAMILY OF LOVE

1602–1607

a synoptic, alphabetical character list

BAT

A "ghost character." A bellman mentioned by Gerardine as a criminal who must appear in court.

BEARDBUSH

A "ghost character." A barber mentioned by Dryfat.

BESS

A fictional character invented by Gerardine. The daughter of the fictional Thomasine Tweedles, the supposed country mistress of Glister.

CLUB

Apprentice to the apothecary Purge. Club frequently attends Mistress Purge and serves as the crier during the trial staged by Gerardine.

DOORMAN

A doorman at the Family Of Love house. A character who does not appear on stage, his voice is heard from the other side of a door when Mistress Purge and others seek entry to the Family of Love meetings. He admits only those who identify themselves with the proper phrasing.

DRYFAT

A merchant. Dryfat joins The Family of Love and later aids Gerardine in his deception of Glister.

GERARDINE

A young gentleman. Though doubted by Glister and mocked by Gudgeon and Lipsalve, Gerardine promises to remain true to his love, Maria, while he supposedly ventures abroad. Before departing he writes a will that names Maria as his heir. He hides in a trunk that is delivered to Maria and then emerges, revealing to her that his voyage was a deception. Later, Gerardine disguises himself and spreads rumors that Glister has a mistress in the country and that Maria is pregnant with Glister's child. Then, disguised as a doctor of law, he convinces Glister to agree to allow Maria's marriage to Gerardine.

GLISTER

A physician. Uncle and guardian to Maria. Not approving of his niece Maria's love for Gerardine, he locks her up in his house. Glister is astonished when both Lipsalve and Gudgeon come to him seeking his help to seduce Mistress Purge. To teach them a lesson and angered by their assumption that he is a conjurer, he lays a plot whereby the men will unwittingly attack one another. Meanwhile, when he sees Lipsalve outside his house he becomes suspicious, and later learns that Lipsalve and Gudgeon plan to seduce his wife. He administers to them a powerful purgative which makes them unable to proceed with their plans. In the end, Glister is tricked by Gerardine into allowing Gerardine to marry Maria.

GLISTER, MISTRESS

Glister's wife. Convinced that Glister has committed adultery and incest, she plans to cuckold her husband in revenge, but the plans are never realized.

GREGORY GUDGEON

A young gallant. Gudgeon competes with his friend Lipsalve for the affections of Mistress Purge. Like Lipsalve, Gudgeon asks Glister for means to win Mistress Purge, but is tricked by Glister into fighting with Lipsalve. Realizing he and his friend have been gulled, he and Lipsalve plan to revenge their humiliation by cuckolding Glister. Still harboring designs on Mistress Purge, however, Gudgeon and Lipsalve also join The Family of Love. Later, when Mistress Glister is angry with her husband, Gudgeon and Lipsalve attempt to seduce her but are prevented by a purgative administered to them by Glister.

LAURENCE LIPSALVE

A young courtier. Lipsalve competes with his friend Gudgeon for the affections of Mistress Purge. Thinking Glister is a conjurer, Lipsalve asks him to magically procure Mistress Purge for him but is tricked by Glister into fighting with Gudgeon instead. Before that can happen, Lipsalve, also lusting for Maria, disguises himself as Gerardine in the hopes of bedding her, but the ruse is unsuccessful. Later, after fighting with Gudgeon, and realizing he's been gulled, he and Gudgeon plan revenge by cuckolding Glister. Still harboring designs on Mistress Purge, however, Gudgeon and Lipsalve also join The Family of Love. Later, their attempts to bed Mistress Glister are thwarted by Glister's purgatives.

MARIA

Glister's neice. Maria is in love with Gerardine. She remains true to him while he, through an elaborate plan, tricks Glister into endorsing the marriage.

NICHOLAS NEBULO

The name taken by Gerardine when disguised as a porter.

PERIWINKLE

Page to Gudgeon.

PLACKET

A name taken by Gerardine when disguised as a paritor.

POPPIN

The name taken by Dryfat when disguised as a proctor.

PETER PURGE

An apothecary. Purge is initially unconcerned with his wife's supposed infidelities, but becomes jealous when he sees her with the merchant Dryfat. His jealousy increases when he observes Lipsalve and Gudgeon with his wife as well. Thinking that his wife is using her time at The Family of Love to faciliate her dalliances, he attends a meeting and, in darkness, persuades his wife to give him her wedding ring. At trial, he is grudgingly convinced that she has done no wrong but insists that she no longer attend Family of Love meetings.

REBECCA PURGE

Wife of Purge the apothecary and member of the Family of Love. Mistress Purge is sought after by many men. Finally, her jealous husband complains against her, bringing her to trial in Gerardine's fake court. There, confronted by her husband, she defends her innocence and claims she gave him her ring knowing it was him all along. She is reconciled to her husband and agrees to cease attendance at the Family of Love meetings.

SERVANT

A servant to Glister who fetches the whips Glister uses to humiliate Lipsalve and Gudgeon.

SHRIMP

Page to Lipsalve.

STICKLER

The name taken by Gerardine when he poses as a doctor of law.

THOMASINE TWEEDLES

A fictional character invented by Gerardine, Tweedles is supposedly a mistress of Glister's who has born him a bastard son.

THRUM

A "ghost character." A a feltmaker mentioned by Gerardine as a criminal who must appear in court.

TIPPLE

A "ghost character." A tapster mentioned by Gerardine as a criminal who must appear in court.

VIAL

A servant to Glister.

WHIP

A "ghost character." A beadle mentioned by Gerardine as a criminal who must appear in court.