Sir Thomas More Characters

The Earl of Surrey is the youngest member of the King’s Council, and the first to think of More as a man who might be able to help quell the riot. 

Sir Thomas Palmer is a member of the King’s household. 

Sir Roger Cholmley is a bold man, willing to tell his superiors to their faces that he believes they are at fault in not telling the King what is going on in the land, particularly in regard to the foreigners. 

Sir Thomas More is an honest, kind and witty man who rises from being a Sheriff of London to Lord High Chancellor (the highest post in the kingdom) before being sent to jail and executed for obeying his conscience rather than the King. 

Lord Mayor is in theory the most powerful man in London. 

Justice Suresby is a judge with some rather strong opinions. 

The First Sheriff is Thomas More’s fellow officer of the law. He is present at the Lifter’s trial. 

The Second Sheriff is part of More’s escort to the scaffold, and wishes he did not have that duty, as he both likes and respects the condemned man. 

The Recorder is the court clerk and stenographer, noting down verdicts for the record. 

The Sergeant at Arms is sent to offer the mob the King’s mercy on condition they cease and desist immediately; unfortunately, he comments aloud on their simple-mindedness and merely enrages them further.

The Clerk of the Council attends the council meetings to take notes and provide for the Lords what they need as they deliberate.

Erasmus is one of the most learned men in Europe, and a very famous person indeed. 

The Bishop of Rochester (Doctor Fisher) is a member of the King’s Council.

Roper is Sir Thomas’s son-in-law. He is highly obedient to his father-in-law, and tries to shield his mother-in-law from worries. 

John Lincoln is a hot-tempered Londoner growing more and more discontented with the abuses of the foreigners. 

George Betts is the hot-tempered friend of John Lincoln who encourages him to beat up foreigners who are found acting badly in the streets. 

Clown Betts is George Betts’s rather wild brother, Ralph. 

Williamson is a London carpenter hard put upon by the foreigners’ actions. 

Sherwin is a Londoner growing impatient with the antics of the foreigners. 

Francis de Barde is a French immigrant who has the Ambassador’s ear. 

Caveler is a French immigrant who has the Ambassador’s ear. 

Lifter is a pickpocket who has been caught and brought to trial. 

Smart [mute role] is a rich man who has had his purse, which contained a great deal of money, stolen from him by Lifter. He has him arrested and brought to trial.

Harry is an apprentice, a quarrelsome teenager who enjoys the opportunity of getting in a scrap and beating up schoolmasters and students. 

Robin is an apprentice, a quarrelsome teenager who likes his drink and the opportunity of getting in a scrap and beating up schoolmasters and students. 

Kit is an apprentice, a quarrelsome teenager who enjoys fighting with others, whether with a large stick or with swords. 

Morris is the Lord of Winchester’s secretary, and Faulkner’s employer. 

Faulkner, servant to Morris, is a long-haired lout with little respect for high-placed members of society. 

Gough is More’s secretary, and is among the first to hear the news of his condemnation. 

Catesby is More’s steward, and is among the first to hear the news of his condemnation. 

Randall is one of More’s servants, who bears a great resemblance to his master. 

Downes is a high-ranked officer who is sent along with Surrey and Shrewsbury to arrest More and take him to the Tower if he refuses to sign the King’s orders.

Ned the Butler is in charge of the wine cellar at More’s house. 

Robin the Brewer is in charge of making the ale for More’s household. 

Ralph the Horsekeeper is in charge of More’s stables.

Giles the Porter guards More’s door. Emotional and given to swearing, he admires More for his honesty and refusal to take bribes, even though it left him penniless.

The Lieutenant of the Tower is in charge of all prisoners brought to the Tower. 

The First Warder helps guard the way as More is brought to jail. He is not entirely certain of how things are progressing.

The Second Warder is a fan of More’s, but is also aware that he has lost all of his power.

The Third Warder is concerned about the size of the crowds lining the way that More is brought to prison.

The Gentleman Porter guards the gate of the Tower of London; as part of the perks of his job, he is allowed to take the prisoners’ rich coats from them for his own use.

The Hangman is appointed to chop off More’s head. 

The First Officer is sent to remind the citizens of London to be on guard at the time of the rioters’ execution, to prevent further disturbances.

The Second Officer is escorting the rioters to their execution and goes ahead to warn the Sheriff that due to the large crowds they’ll be a bit late. 

Lady More is Sir Thomas’s wife. Much less well educated than any other member of her family, she cannot speak Latin, leaving her husband able to shut her out from conversation when he thinks she is talking too much. 

Lady Mayoress is the Mayor’s wife. 

Roper’s Wife is Sir Thomas’s daughter, who suffers from a terrible premonitory nightmare the night before More’s disgrace. 

Daughter to More is Sir Thomas’s second child. She is horrified at the idea of her father being executed and with her mother and sister unsuccessfully attempts to move him to change his mind.

A Servant is one of More’s servants, and comes to tell him when people wish to speak to him, be they actors or peers of the realm. 

Doll Williamson is a good-looking, high-tempered, not-at-all-shy London woman who does not take kindly to being manhandled by a Frenchman. 

A Poor Woman has been fighting a lawsuit in the court for two years now, and Thomas More is the one with all the evidence in hand to help her win her case.

Player of Inclination the Vice is one of the actors. He offers Sir Thomas a choice of plays to hear at his feast for the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen. 

Player of Wit is an actor who plays the leading role in The Marriage of Wit and Wisdom. 

The Player of Prologue is one of the actors who plays for More. He is deeply impressed by More’s generosity.

Player of Lady Vanity is the boy actor in the company of players, and as the only one is charged with playing every female role in their repertoire.

Luggins is one of the actors, who is unable to enter on cue because he has had to run to fetch a false beard that the company forgot to bring with it. 

Sir John Munday tries to quell the rioting apprentices, but merely gets knocked about for his pains.

Crofts is a messenger from the King. He brings the King’s orders that the trial of the rioters be conducted quickly.

The Servingman is sent by More to dismiss the actors when their services are no longer required.

The First Messenger comes from London to the Council to warn them that the Mayor is trapped in his own house by the riots, which are threatening to spiral out of control.

The Second Messenger warns the Mayor that the rioters have broken into the prisons and let the convicts out.

The Third Messenger comes from the City Council to tell the Sheriff to hang the condemned prisoners in various locations around the city, and to get on with it. He also announces the Lord Mayor’s visit to More.