Printed in 1638 by Richard Oulton, for Charles Greene, with Nabbes' name on the title page. The title page also says that the play was "Acted in the YEARE, MDCXXXII [1632] By the Queenes Majesties Servants [i.e. Queen Henrietta's Men, who played at the Cockpit]." Following the title page is a dedication by Nabbes to Sir John Suckling.
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
ARTLOVE, THEODORE
"A compleat gentleman," as he is called in the list of characters. Artlove is the protagonist of the play's main romantic plot, in which he woos Dorothy Worthy. Though Dorothy initially expresses no desire for a husband, Artlove eventually wins her heart with the help of her brother, Young Worthy, whom he has befriended after saving Young Worthy from being robbed. Artlove is an embodiment, almost a parody, of the ideals of Platonic love, in which virtue and high-flown rhetoric are distinctive features. In this sense, he is contrasted with Hugh Jerker, protagonist of the play's romantic subplot, who represents a more sensuous, libertine sensibility celebrating pleasures of the flesh.
CONSTABLE
A minor character. He arrests Ralph and Dobson for robbery and brings them to Sir Generous Worthy, then becomes confused when Warrant claims not to have been robbed. He is forced to become an observer in the mock trial which ends the play, when Dobson assumes the role of constable and interrogates the other characters.
DASHER
A tavern-keeper. He extravagantly compliments everyone who comes into his tavern, to the extent that his effusive praise becomes ridiculous. He appears only in act 4, which takes place entirely in his tavern. Toward the end of that act, he welcomes Dungworth, Dobson, and Ralph to the tavern as lodgers, then fears that he will be hanged for treason because he thinks Littleword is a spy. When Dungworth convinces him that Littleword will not inform on him, he declares himself to be Dungworth's servant.
DOBSON
He and Ralph are the servants of Dungworth, the country gentleman who tries to become a city gallant. Dobson speaks the opening line of the play, setting the scene along with Dungworth and Ralph as they arrive in London from the country, but soon disappears. Later he and Ralph appear drunk, and are tricked by Susan into robbing Warrant and Spruce; they try to rob Young Worthy, but flee when Artlove intervenes. They are later apprehended by the Constable in Dasher's tavern, but go free when Warrant denies that they robbed him; then Dobson pretends to be a constable in the mock-trial which ends the play.
DOROTHY WORTHY
The daughter of Sir Generous Worthy and object of Theodore Artlove's affections in the play's main romantic plot. Upon first meeting Artlove, she wounds him by mocking his extravagant flattery, but when her brother, Young Worthy, warns her about the charms of men such as Artlove, the independent and contrary Dorothy expresses displeasure at being told what to do. Later Young Worthy commends Artlove to her, but only after her brother pretends to have been testing her does Dorothy fully declare her love for Artlove. Dorothy also appears several times with her tippling waiting-woman Susan, who becomes involved in the Warrant-Spruce subplot.
DRAWER
A very minor character, also known as Boy. He appears with Hugh Jerker and Jeffrey at the beginning and end of act IV and only speaks three lines.
DUNGWORTH, ROGER
A country gentleman from Sussex. He arrives in London at the opening of the play with his servants Dobson and Ralph. His "humor" is that of the upwardly-mobile country gentleman, intending to become a city gallant by selling "some few dirty acres" to buy a knighthood and turn his "farm of Dirtall into the manor of No-Place". After asking Mistress Tongall about lodging, he disappears for most of the play before showing up later to take a room at Dasher's tavern. When Mistress Tongall brings in Littleword, whom Dasher fears is a spy, Dungworth tricks Dasher into becoming his servant. In the mock-trial which concludes the play, Dungworth's servant Ralph reads him an impudent but witty indictment as "a gallant out of fashion all the year" who will be "ship't at Cuckolds haven, and so transported into Cornwall".
JEFFEREY JERKER
Hugh Jerker's young cousin and boon companion, displaying the same libertine sensibility to an even more extreme degree. He makes advances on every woman he meets in the play, all the while expounding Jerker's epicurean philosophy.
JERKER, HUGH
A wild gallant, the friend and rival of Artlove. He represents the sensual pleasures of the flesh in opposition to the ideals of Platonic love represented by Artlove. Jerker tries to convince Artlove that "drinking and wenching are the only virtues in a gentleman of the last edition", and later woos Lady Worthy, whom he had previously courted years earlier, in a subplot parallel to Artlove's wooing of Dorothy Worthy. After Lady Worthy has resisted his blandishments, he declares that he has reformed and will cease wooing her. The two of them then briefly trick Sir Generous into thinking that they have had an affair before finally revealing the truth.
LADY WORTHY
The stepmother of Dorothy Worthy, unhappy wife of Sir Generous Worthy, and object of Hugh Jerker's affections. She first appears warning Dorothy against men like Artlove, and Jerker's unsuccessful attempts to win her, and thus cuckold Sir Generous, provide a contrast to Artlove's successful wooing of Dorothy. When Jerker declares himself reformed and says he will no longer pursue Lady Worthy, the two of them briefly trick Sir Generous into thinking that they have consummated their affair.
LITTLEWORD
A reputed wit. He first appears with Hugh and Jeffrey Jerker, never speaking a word. Later Mistress Tongall tries to match him up with Lady Worthy, and brings him to Dungworthy after the latter expresses a desire to meet some city wits. All Littleword does is silently write in his table-book, leading Dasher to believe that he is a spy. He speaks only one word the entire play: "No", spoken when Dungworth asks him whether he will inform against Dasher.
MISTRESS TONGALL
A gossip and pander in Covent Garden. Her main "humor" is that of trying to find a man for her unseen daughter Jinny, whom she offers to most of the male characters in the play, and of trying to find a woman for Littleword, whom she offers to most of the other female characters in the play. She later introduces Littleword to Dungworthy in Dasher's tavern, leading to comic confusion when Dasher thinks that Littleword is a spy.
RALPH
He and Dobson are the servants of Dungworth, the country gentleman who tries to become a city gallant. The two servants speak the opening lines of the play, setting the scene along with Dungworth as they arrive in London from the country. Later he and Dobson appear drunk, and are tricked by Susan into robbing Warrant and Spruce; they try to rob Young Worthy, but flee when Artlove intervenes. They are later apprehended by the Constable in Dasher's tavern, but go free when Warrant denies that they robbed him. Ralph subsequently takes over, directing the mock trial which concludes the play. He wittily characterizes each of the main characters according to his "humor", or distinguishing charecteristic.
SIR GENEROUS WORTHY
An old man, the jealous husband of Lady Worthy and father of Dorothy Worthy and Young Worthy. He believes that Hugh Jerker intends to cuckold him, but he invites Jerker, Jeffrey, and Artlove to his house for dinner after Jerker flatters him. After Jerker has declared privately to Lady Worthy that he has reformed and will no longer pursue her, the two of them briefly pretend to have consummated their affair in order to teach Sir Generous a lesson.
SPRUCE
A gentleman usher to Lady Worthy. Warrant challenges him to a duel over the love of Susan, but they are interrupted by the arrival of Dorothy and Lady Worthy. Later, at night, Dorothy and Susan watch Spruce and Warrant comically try to duel in the moonlight, and when Ralph and Dobson show up, Susan tricks them into robbing Warrant and trying to rob Spruce. Later, when the constable brings in Ralph and Dobson under arrest, Warrant denies that he was robbed, leading into the mock trial which concludes the play. In that mock trial, Ralph characterizes Spruce as "a Malkin of mock-gentry, made up of silk and vain-glory".
SUSAN
A waiting-woman to Dorothy Worthy, often drunk, whose main purpose is to move the action forward by interacting with the other characters. After she and Dorothy observe Artlove and the Jerkers, she drunkenly meets with the men to judge Artlove's worthiness, but is offended by the advances of Jeffrey Jerker. Soon afterward she encourages a duel between Warrant and Spruce, both of whom are in love with her, and later she and Dorothy observe the two men comically trying to duel by moonlight. When Ralph and Dobson show up drunk, she tricks them into robbing Warrant and trying to rob Spruce. Lady Worthy later tries to get Susan to help her have an affair with Hugh Jerker, but Susan ends up getting drunk with Jeffrey Jerker instead.
WARRANT
A clerk to Sir Generous Worthy. He challenges Spruce to a duel over the love of Susan, after she has assured him that she can get him pardoned, but they are interrupted by the arrival of Dorothy and Lady Worthy. Later, at night, Dorothy and Susan watch Warrant and Spruce comically try to duel in the moonlight, and when Ralph and Dobson show up, Susan tricks them into robbing Warrant and trying to rob Spruce. Later, when the constable brings in Ralph and Dobson under arrest, Warrant denies that he was robbed, leading into the mock trial which concludes the play. In that mock trial, Ralph ridicules Warrant for his Latin and says to "make his Mittimus and send him to school".
YOUNG WORTHY
The son of Sir Generous Worthy and sister of Dorothy, Young Worthy plays a major part in the plot by helping bring together his sister and Theodore Artlove. He initially warns his sister that Artlove may not be good enough for her, causing her to become defensive and rail against "imperious men" who impose their will on women. But when Artlove saves Young Worthy's life during a robbery, the two men become friendly after narrowly avoiding a duel. Later Young Worthy commends Artlove to his sister, then tricks her by pretending he was only testing her, causing her to declare her love for Artlove all the more.