SAVIOLINA, a court-lady, whose weightiest praise is a light wit, admired by
herself, and one more, her servant Brisk.

SORDIDO, a wretched hob-nailed chuff, whose recreation is reading of
almanacks; and felicity, foul weather. One that never pray'd but for a
lean dearth, and ever wept in a fat harvest.

FUNGOSO, the son of Sordido, and a student; one that has revelled in his
time, and follows the fashion afar off, like a spy. He makes it the whole
bent of his endeavours to wring sufficient means from his wretched father,
to put him in the courtiers' cut; at which he earnestly aims, but so
unluckily, that he still lights short a suit.

SOGLIARDO, an essential clown, brother to Sordido, yet so enamoured of the
name of a gentleman, that he will have it, though he buys it. He comes up
every term to learn to take tobacco, and see new motions. He is in his
kingdom when in company where he may be well laughed at.

SHIFT, a thread-bare shark; one that never was a soldier, yet lives upon
lendings. His profession is skeldring and odling, his bank Paul's, and his
warehouse Picthatch. Takes up single testons upon oaths, till doomsday.
Falls under executions of three shillings, and enters into five-groat
bonds. He way-lays the reports of services, and cons them without book,
damning himself he came new from them, when all the while he was taking the
diet in the bawdy-house, or lay pawned in his chamber for rent and
victuals. He is of that admirable and happy memory, that he will salute
one for an old acquaintance that he never saw in his life before. He
usurps upon cheats, quarrels, and robberies, which he never did, only to
get him a name. His chief exercises are, taking the whiff, squiring a