circa 1638 licensed 1 June 1640 for the King's Men
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
ALFONSO
Alfonso is Rosania's father and witness to Ferdinand and Rosania pledging themselves to each other in his house. When Ferdinand is captured and imprisoned-along with Rosania who is disguised as Alfonso's page Tiberio-Alfonso assumes the disguise of Mendoza in order to be in charge of the prisoners.
CAPTAIN
This unnamed military Captain enjoys his profession; he even prays for war. The Captain is most noted for his deception, however, of two local Citizens-merchants to whom the Captain owes money. Irritated by their pleas for repayment, the Captain convinces them first to forgive the debts, second, to become soldiers, and third, to become courtiers "extraordinary."
COURTIER
Unnamed, this Courtier brings news to Olivia that the court gates are shut and that the people within now proclaim Ferdinand as king.
ERNESTO
Ernesto is a noble court attendant. At the play's opening he explains the prospect of war and the delayed marriage of Leonario. Later he becomes a main questioner at Ferdinand's trial and-if not stopped--would levy sentence in the absence of the queen.
FERDINAND
Ferdiand claims that Olivia of Murcia is not the true heir of the throne. After warring with Olivia's troops, Ferdinand is captured and imprisoned, along with his betrothed Rosania, who has adopted the guise of the male page Tiberio. At his trial, Ferdinand continues to claim the throne, explaining that his uncle had made Olivia queen; as nephew, Ferdinand had escaped and is therefore Olivia's cousin. Though his story is not accepted by everyone as truth until late in the play, at this point Ferdinand is pardoned by the queen and then wed to her. Ferdinand remains true to Rosania, avoiding intimate relations with his wife Olivia; by the play's end Leandro has confirmed Ferdinand's tale, and Ferdinand is proclaimed king.
CITIZEN, FIRST, SECOND, THIRD and FOURTH
The First and Second Citizens are local garter merchants to whom the Captain owes money. Because the Captain threatens the Citizens with a charge similar to vagrancy, the debt is forgiven, and the Citizens become soldiers. After the war, the Citizens are convinced by the Captain to try their luck at court, spending large sums to become courtiers extraordinary. The Third and Fourth Citizens come to court in search of city acquaintances, the First and Second Citizens. All four Citizens have been garter merchants in the city.
GUARD
Unnamed, the Guard brings news to the newly-confirmed king Ferdinand that Leonario, prince of Arragon, has brought troops and seized the city.
KEEPER
This jailer at the prison which holds Ferdinand and the disguised Rosania escorts the two to trial, mentioning that other conspirators have received pardons.
LEANDRO
Leandro is a court attendant. He receives unwelcome letters announcing Leonario's war victory and capture of Ferdinand, and though at Ferdinand's trial Leandro charges that Ferdinand only pretends to be related to Olivia, it is Leandro who later admits to having saved the true heir Ferdinand in infancy.
LEONARIO
Leonario is the prince of Arragon whose wedding to Olivia of Murcia has been delayed by war. When Olivia instead weds Ferdinand, Leonario seems willing to acquiesce to the maneuvering of fate in the matter. He discovers, however, that Ferdinand has a mistress at court and reminds Olivia of her own law concerning death sentences for unfaithful wives. Though Leonario arrests Ferdinand, believing the man's claim to the throne to be bogus, he learns the truth about Ferdinand's heirship. Leonario is then able to wed Olivia, whose marriage to her cousin was both unconsummated and invalid.
MENDOZA
Mendoza is Leonario's general. He brings seasoned soldiers to the cause. His identity is later usurped by Alfonso.
OLIVIA
Olivia reigns as queen of Murcia, but her realm is threatened by war and the claim of Ferdinand to her crown. When Ferdinand is captured and tried, Olivia pardons him and weds him. Highly unsettled at the absence of intimacy in her marriage, Olivia discovers that Tiberio, the male page toward whom Ferdinand has shown so much affection, is indeed Rosania, Ferdinand's betrothed. Olivia sentences Ferdinand and Rosania to death, but the sentence fails when Leandro proves Ferdinand to be Olivia's cousin and the true heir of the realm. Olivia finally weds Leonario, the prince of Arragon to whom she had been contracted before the war.
RODRIGUEZ
A court noble, Rodriguez helps open the play with an explanation of the current war. Later unsure of why Ferdinand refuses to be intimate with his new bride Olivia, Rodriguez soon learns that years ago, Leandro saved young Ferdinand in infancy; thus, the true heir has been able to return and claim his throne. The lack of intimacy between Ferdinand and Olivia is explained, then, by their close relationship.
ROSANIA
The daughter of Alsonso, Rosania is the betrothed of Ferdinand and accompanies him to war disguised as his page Tiberio. Captured and imprisoned with Ferdinand, Rosania refuses to reveal her identity and thus save herself. When Ferdinand is pardoned and subsequently weds Olivia, Rosania is eventually discovered: she is sentenced by Olivia to die alongside Ferdinand. Leandro's proof of Ferdinand's true kingship, however, stays the execution, and Rosania is free to wed Ferdinand as his marriage to Olivia becomes invalid.
TIBERIO
Tiberio is the disguise adopted by Rosania (q.v.).
VIOLINDA
Violinda is a court lady attendant upon Olivia. To keep Olivia safe from Ferdinand's accusation that the queen is entertaining a man in her chamber, Violinda dresses Tiberio, who is really Rosania in disguise, in the queen's own clothing.