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.