mr. ferdinando falkland, a high-spirited and highly cultured gentleman, a country squire in “a remote county of england.”

caleb williams, a youth, his secretary, the discoverer of his secret, and the supposed narrator of the consequent events.

mr. collins, falkland’s steward and caleb’s friend.

thomas, a servant of falkland’s.

mr. forester, falkland’s brother-inlaw.

mr. barnabas tyrrel, a brutal and tyrannical squire.

miss emily melville, his cousin and dependent, whom he cruelly maltreats and does to death.

grimes, a brutal rustic, suborned by tyrrel to abduct miss melville.

dr. wilson; mrs. hammond, friends of miss melville. mr. hawkins, farmer; young hawkins, his son, victims of tyrrel’s brutality, and wrongfully hanged as his murderers.

gines, a robber and thief-taker, instrument of falkland’s vengeance upon caleb.

mr. raymond, an “arcadian” captain of robbers.

larkins, one of his band.

an old hag, housekeeper to the robbers.

a gaoler.

miss peggy, the gaoler’s daughter.

mrs. marney, a poor gentlewoman, caleb’s friend in distress.

mr. spurrel, a friend who informs on caleb.

mrs. denison, a cultivated lady with whom caleb is for a while on friendly terms.