A "rich lame userer," Aegidius is Lysander's thrifty uncle and (as a result of his nephew's encouragement and prodding) one of Facetia's suitors. Interested solely in Facetia's money and future inheritance, Aegidius is convinced by Lysander that his "wooden legg" and "clubb foote" are advantageous to his suit and sets out to win the right to marry Facetia. His suit is encouraged by Lepidus and, although Lysander assures his uncle that he is working on his behalf, there is an attempt to "cozen" Aegidius when Lysander suggests that his favorable opinion must be bought. Despite the fact that Aegidius believes that his nephew is "strikeing it up" for him with Facetia, she promises to wed the man who can perform a task which, being lame, the usurer cannot complete.
ASS
A non-speaking character.One of four "Beasts" which dance with the 4 "little boyes" and 4 Satyrs in the antemasque that Himen presents near the play's end.
BOY
Possibly the same character as Himen ("the presenter of the Antemaske and maske") the Boy leads the blind Caecilius to Lepidus's house to check on Facetia after Lysander's and Lepidus's failed attempt to marry the unsuspecting Caecilius to Olimpa (who is disguised as Nigella).
CAECILIUS
"A rich blinde Gentleman" and landlord to characters such as Villanus, Caecilius is the father of Olimpa and Comastes who, determined to marry, decides that Facetia should be his and enlists his son to "sollicite" her on his behalf. Knowing full well that his son is in love with Facetia and is banished from Lepidus's house Caecilius instructs Comastes to adopt the guise and manner of one of his tenants in order to gain the access to Facetia that is required in order to fulfill this "filiall dutye." When in the presence of Facetia for the first time Caecilius claims that he is "most propheticall att palmestry" and can foresee the future, proceeds to read Facetia's palm, and informs Lepidus that he longs to become his son in law. In a cruel twist to the plot Lepidus and Lysander attempt to force Olimpa (who is disguised as the "blackamoore" Nigella) to pretend to be Facetia and, thus, marry the unknowing Caecilius. When Comastes attempts to explain this sinister plot to his father Caecilius believes that his son is attempting to hinder his marriage to Facetia and disinherits him, and although Olimpa also attempts to convince her father that she is not Facetia the marriage of father and daughter is only avoided due to the additional interference of Surdato and Macilento at Facetia's request. Brought home by Macilento and then lead to Lepidus's house by the Boy in order to check on Facetia, Caecilius finally comes to terms with Lysander's plot against him, is convinced by Facetia to reinherit Comastes, and is reassured by her that they will eventually marry. Now suspicious that further tricks will be played upon him, Caecilius brings Comastes (disguised as a Rustic) along with him to Lepidus's house in order to ensure that he is not "cozened" again. Despite the fact that Caecilius claims that the task which Facetia assigns to her future husband is "nothing," his blindness prevents him from being able to complete the mission. Although he threatens, again, to disinherit Comastes, he eventually blesses the marriage of his son to Facetia and is finally reunited with his daughter, Olimpa, who reveals her true identity near the play's end.
COLUMELLA
Piscinus's friend and interpreter, Columella verbalizes the dumb man's promises of love to Facetia in conjunction with the suitor's actions and, in general, deals verbally with all other characters on Piscinus's behalf. For this task he is rewarded by his friend who, at the play's end, turns over to him the refunded bag of money which the dumb suitor had given to Lysander in order to safeguard his suit to Facetia.
COMASTES
The sole son of Caecilius, brother of the presumed-dead Olimpa (who is disguised as Nigella for the majority of the play), and Facetia's lover, Comastes is barred from Lepidus's house despite the fact that he claims to be the heir of a great family in Naples. In response to Facetia's feigned refusal of his advances in front of Lepidus at the play's beginning he offers to kill himself, but is stopped by Nigella who orders him that he must "doot'e at home." After singing the blessings of his father's blindness Comastes is ordered by Caecilius to "sollicite Facetia" for him, a task which he undertakes with caution as he warns his father that he cannot extinguish his own love for Lepidus's daughter. At Caecilius's suggestion, Comastes decides to disguise himself as one of his father's tenants ("a down right country man" with a rustic dialect) in order to gain access to Facetia and, thus, inform her of his "landlord's" love. Under this guise Comastes promotes Caecilius's suit as well as the benefits of loving a blind man before eventually revealing his true identity to Facetia and furthering his own cause. After discovering that Lysander plans to marry the unsuspecting Caecilius to Olimpa, whom Comastes believes to be Nigella and whom his father believes to be Facetia, Comastes attempts to stop the wedding and, in the process, is disinherited by Caecilius. He then hires The First and Second Sergeants to make sure that Nigella is delivered back to Facetia's house safely after the marriage of father and daughter is successfully averted. After learning from Facetia that his birthright has been restore Comastes is charged with the task of derailing the marriage of Facetia and Lysander. Disguised, again, as a Rustic in "clownes habitt" Comastes accompanies Caecilius to Lepidus's house so that "noe more such Tricks" will be played on the blind man. Because Lepidus believes that Comastes is a Rustic he instructs him to conduct Facetia to St Clares where he has appointed one to join his daughter and Lysander in marriage. Returning from St Clares stripped of his disguise and "joynde Hande in hande" with Facetia, Comastes announces their marriage, is threatened with disinheritance for the second time by Caecilius although, again, Facetia works to reinstate him, discovers that Olimpa is not actually dead, reconciles with Lysander, and is welcomed as Lepidus's son-in-law.
COUNTRY JOANE
A fictional character within the play. Comastes (in his disguise as a Rustic) informs Lepidus and Facetia that he would be best served by "A country Joane" who "can veede on beanes and bacon."
FACETIA
The obedient daughter of Lepidus as well as his sole heir Facetia is in love with Comastes but is forced to "act [. . .] another parte" for her father who has banned Comastes from his house and, instead, brings home a loathsome collection of suitors for her. She mocks the mute Piscinus's advances at the play's beginning, refusing his gift of a necklace of pearls and instructing him to return with an interpreter in tow, but humors the furtherance of Caecilius's suit made by the Rustic, who is actually Comastes in disguise. After Comastes makes himself known to her, Facetia accuses him of attempting to try her constancy, but is informed that Comastes has been charged with the duty of wooing her in his father's favo r. After having her palm read by Caecilius, Facetia is a witness to Lysander's and Lepidus's plot to have the blind man unknowingly married to Nigella (who is actually Olimpa in disguise). With the knowledge that such a marriage would be "to much to put upon the father of [her] beloved Comastes," Facetia informs Macilento (and, thus, Surdato) that Caecilius and his accomplices have stolen away Nigella (Surdato's gift to Facetia), a plea that incenses the pair to rescue the "blackamoore." After Lysander confesses his love to Facetia and claims that he has been transformed she chides him for acting so cruelly towards Caecilius but promises him that she will marry him in time. In a similar manner, Facetia convinces Caecilius not to disinherit Comastes and promises the blind man that she will wed him shortly although she is chided by Lysander for leading him on. After informing Comastes that Caecilius has decided to re-inherit him she charges her lover with the task of rescuing her from Lysander, then assigns a task to each of her suitors which she claims must be completed by her future husband, promising that she will marry the first man to complete the complicated mission. Accompanying Comastes (who is disguised as a Rustic) to St Clares (where she is supposed to marry Lysander) at her father's order, Facetia weds Comastes and returns with him "joynde Hande in hande." Reminding Caecilius of his promise not to disinherit his son she is welcomed as his daughter-in-law, and her marriage is blessed by Lepidus.
FACETIA'S MOTHER
A "ghost character," Facetia's mother is no longer living though Lepidus claims that Facetia's wit and cunning confirm that she is her mothers daughter.
HARE
A non-speaking character. One of four "Beasts" which dance with the 4 "little boyes" and 4 Satyrs in the antemasque that Himen presents near the play's end.
HIMEN
Possibly the same character as the Boy who leads the blind Caecilius to Lepidus's house to check on Facetia after Lysander's and Lepidus's failed attempt to marry the unsuspecting Caecilius to Nigella (who is actually Olimpa in disguise), Himen is the presenter of the Antemaske and maske. Additionally, at the play's end, Lysander claims that Himen has "joynde" the lovers' hands and invites him to bless the "nuptiall bande."
HOSPITAL MASTER
A fictional character within the play. Lysander compares himself to "a master of an hospitall" where, even if he could pick and choose, he would not be able to create a complete man out of Facetia's many suitors.
LEPIDUS
"A merry humorouse old Lord" and Facetia's widowed father, Lepidus has banned Comastes from his home and, according to his daughter, tries to discourage her from "fancyinge man" through many avenues including bringing hopeless suitors home to her. Although he mocks and encourages many of his daughter's suitors and approves of Lysander's villainous acts towards Piscinus and Aegidius, he means for Facetia to marry Lysander (who is described throughout the play as Lepidus's parasite) and along with Lysander he attempts to frighten Olimpa (disguised as Nigella) into marrying the oblivious Caecilius. Although Lepidus informs his daughter's suitors that Facetia "is att yeares of discretion and able to make her own choice" near the play's end, he instructs Comastes (disguised as a Rustic) to bring Facetia to St Clares where he claims he has "appointed one" to marry his daughter and Lysander. After Olimpa reveals her true self to Lysander and the others Lepidus expresses concern over the fact that Lysander and Facetia will not be married, but when Comastes enters with Facetia in hand the Lord blesses their marriage and, thus, accepts Comastes as his son-in-law. Furthermore, in order to allay the other suitors, he returns Piscinus's and Aegidius's cozened money and offers to let Macilento live in commons for his good service.
LION
A non-speaking character. One of four "Beasts" which dance with the 4 "little boyes" and 4 Satyrs in the antemasque that Himen presents near the play's end.
LITTLE BOYS
Non-speaking characters. Himen introduces "4 little boyes in yellow colowred suits" which dance with the 4 Beasts and 4 Satyrs in the antimasque near the play's end.
LYSANDER
Lysander is Aegidius's nephew, Olimpa's husband, and Facetia's suitor, and is described throughout the play as Lepidus's parasite. Although at the play's beginning he claims that his ties to Lepidus are "all for [Aegidius's] advantage" since he intends to incline Facetia to his uncle's love, he also promises the mute Piscinus that he will further his suit to Lepidus's daughter and, procuring money from each, pits the two suitors against each other for his own gain at Lepidus's approval. Furthermore, along with Lepidus he attempts to frighten Olimpa (disguised as Nigella) into marrying the oblivious Caecilius but prevents Comastes from killing the "Moore," and informs Facetia that his cruelties towards her other suitors are intended solely to make her merry. Although Facetia promises Lysander that she will be his in time and Lepidus sends Facetia to St Clares where he claims that he has appointed one to marry his daughter to Lysander, Olimpa's true identity is revealed and Lysander, thus, is reunited with his wife, becomes an ineligible suitor to Facetia, and reconciles with Comastes.
MACILENTO
Surdato's servant, Macilento delivers the "Moore" Nigella to Facetia as a gift from his master and takes advantage of Surdato's deafness throughout the play, insulting him on many different occasions and often complaining about being starved and treated poorly during what he claims is the "4 or 5 yeares of [his] youth" he has spent in Surdato's service. Macilento persuades Surdato that Piscinus is his rival and abusive of him and accompanies his master to rescue Nigella from Caecilius and his accomplices at Facetia's request, following Surdato's instructions that he conduct Caecilius home and helping, thus, to prevent the wedding of Nigella and the blind man. Along with Surdato he is fooled into believing that the First and Second Sergeants mean to arrest the deaf man and, when Nigella escapes from their sight, Macilento sets out with his master to find her again. Refusing to inform Surdato of the task which Facetia claims that her husband-to-be must perform before he attains her as his wife, Macilento is blamed by Surdato when the deaf man realizes that Comastes and Facetia have been married but is welcomed by Lepidus to live in commons with the Lord for his good service at the play's end.
MAGNIFICOE'S SERVANTS
"Ghost characters." The Second Sergeant informs the starving Macilento that all the scraps that the charity of the Magnificoe's Servants cast in to the basket are used to feed prisoners, prompting Macilento's request that he be arrested on the spot.
NIGELLA
A disguise which Olimpa assumes throughout the play, Nigella is a "blackamoore" who has been given to Facetia as a gift from Surdato. In this disguise Olimpa assists Comastes and Piscinus in their suits to Facetia, is almost forced to marry Caecilius at the cruel hands of Lysander and Lepidus, and helps to prevent the marriage of Facetia and Lysander before eventually revealing her true identity at the play's end.
OLIMPA
The daughter of Caecilius, brother of Comastes, and wife of Lysander, Olimpa is presumed dead throughout the play and appears primarily in the disguise of Nigella the "blackamoore," who has been given to Facetia as a gift from Surdato. She assists Piscinus in his suit to Facetia by agreeing to deliver his gift of a pearl necklace to her, but acts mainly to further Comastes's suit to his lover as she acts as his lookout for Lepidus and prevents him from killing himself over his disbarment from the Lord's home. Olimpa is preoccupied throughout the play with her infallible love for the false Lysander who has become Lepidus's prime candidate for Facetia's husband and whom she claims has blotted out her hapless memory. In a cruel twist to the plot Lysander and Lepidus attempt to marry her to Caecilius (who believes that she is Facetia), and the marriage of father and daughter is only averted through a combination of the efforts of Facetia, Comastes, Surdato, Macilento, and the First and Second Sergeant, who each work to hinder the wedding and deliver Olimpa safely back to Facetia's home. Near the play's end she attempts to prevent the marriage of Lysander and Facetia by claiming that he is married or at least betrothed before finally revealing her true self to everyone, including her grateful father and the husband who reasserts his love for her.
PISCINUS
A non-speaking character. "A dumbe Gentelman" and suitor to Facetia, Piscinus is mocked by Lepidus at the play's beginning but is permitted access to her by the "old Lord." After being in Facetia's presence for the first time he is ordered by her to return with an interpreter so that she will be able to understand what he is trying to say, and although she refuses his gift of pearl necklace, he expresses signs of hope when Nigella promises to deliver the gift to her on his behalf. When Lysander pits Piscinus and Aegidius against each other and promises the former that he will promote his suit to Facetia Piscinus gives him a bag of money which, at the play's end, is returned by Lepidus and is immediately given over to Columella for his services. Because Piscinus cannot speak he is unable to complete the task which Facetia outlines for her suitors and, thus, is eliminated from the competition for her hand in marriage.
PRIEST
A "ghost character," Facetia recalls how, in her youth, she was informed by a holy Priest of the magnificent portraits kept in an underground vault which she longed to see, despite the fact that females were forbidden access to the cave.
RUSTIC
At Caecilius's suggestion Comastes dons a Clown's habit and a country dialect in order to disguise himself as a Rustic so that he may enter Lepidus's house undetected and woo Facetia in his father's favor. Under this disguise he creates a fictitious wife and children as well as a life in which he has a good lease and well stocked land, and is ordered by Lepidus to transport Facetia to St Clares where she is supposed to wed Lysander.
SATYRS
Non-speaking characters. Himen introduces 4 Satyrs which dance with the 4 beasts and 4 "little boyes" in the antimasque near the play's end.
SERGEANT, FIRST and SECOND
Possibly brothers, the First and Second Sergeants are hired by Comastes to seize Surdato after the deaf man has rescued Nigella. At Comastes's direction the two sergeants "pretende an action of Detinew att Signeour Figmentoes suite" while the "blackamoore" is sent home to Facetia.
SIGNEOUR FIGMENTOE
A "ghost character." Comastes orders the First and Second Sergeants to pretend an action of Dettinew att Signeour Figmentoes suite" in order to seize Surdato and, thus, set Nigella free.
SURDATO
A deaf Spaniard with a characteristically slow gait, Surdato is one of Facetia's many suitors as well as Macilento's master. Having presented Facetia with the gift of Nigella the "blackamoore" Surdato hopes to win Facetia's heart and works throughout the play to do so, despite the fact that his servant repeatedly complains of being treated poorly and his deafness is often mocked by Macilento and the other characters. He is falsely informed by Macilento that Piscinus is his rival and abusive of him, which causes him to threaten the mute man, and he and Macilento are enlisted by Facetia to rescue Nigella from Caecilius and his accomplices. After rescuing Nigella and ordering Macilento to deliver Caecilius to his home Surdato is apprehended by the First and Second Sergeant for a period long enough to allow Nigella to escape and, after much confusion, is set free. Due, in part, to the fact that Macilento neglects to inform his master of the task which Facetia outlines for her suitors and, in part, to the fact that his deafness would prevent him from completing the task, Surdato is eliminated from the competition for Facetia's hand in marriage.
TOOTHDRAWER
A fictional character within the play. Facetia confides in Comastes that a dumb suitor of hers (presumably Piscinus) gapes and shows his teeth so much that he must believe she is a toothdrawer.
VENICE EMBASSADOR'S SERVANTS
Fictional characters within the play. Surdato comes to believe that the First and Second Sergeant were not sergeants trying to arrest him (as he had previously believed) but "the Venice-Embassadors Servants come to invite [him] to dinner," and that he denied them in a most unmannerly way due to Macilento's false assessment of them.
VICEROY
A "ghost character." Lysander claims that the law strictly forbidding duels which is observed by the Viceroy is the reason why he cannot fight with Comastes when the son of Caecilius challenges him to a duel for attempting to marry his father to Nigella (who is actually Olimpa in disguise). Furthermore, Surdato promises to reward Nigella for her apparent furtherance of his suit to Facetia with a jewel which the Viceroy promised him and which he claims "lyes in [his] christall Cabinnet."
VILLANUS
A "ghost character," Villanus is presumably one of Caecilius's tenants. His name is offered to Comastes by Caecilius as an example of "a countrye Swayne" whose identity Comastes may take on as he disguises himself for the purpose of wooing Facetia for the blind man.
WOLFE
A non-speaking character. One of four "Beasts" which dance with the 4 "little boyes" and 4 Satyrs in the antemasque that Himen presents near the play's end.