- Opening sequence
- Prologue
- Ignatius Loyola — Ghost of the founder of the Jesuits
- Error — An allegorical personification of religious heresy
White House
- White King — Alludes to King James I of England. Protestant leader of the White House.
- White King's Pawn — A spy for the Black House, most often identified as alluding to Lionel Cranfield, Earl of Middlesex.
- White Queen — Alludes to Elizabeth of Bohemia, daughter of King James
- White Queen's Pawn — A young virgin, former fiancée of the White Bishop's Pawn.
- White Knight — Alludes to Prince Charles, son of King James
- White Duke — Alludes to George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, favourite of King James and companion of Prince Charles
- Fat Bishop — Alludes to Marc Antonio de Dominis, Bishop of Spalato, a former bishop of the Black House who has recanted to join the White House. A comic role, written for the actor William Rowley.
- Fat Bishop's Pawn — A servant.
- White Bishop — Alludes to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
- White Bishop's Pawn — A Protestant minister, former fiancée of the White Queen's Pawn who has been castrated by the Black Knights's Pawn
- White Pawn — A servant pawn of unspecified allegiance.
- Black House
- Black King — Alludes to King Philip IV of Spain. Catholic Leader of the Black House.
- Black Queen — Alludes to Maria Anna of Spain, proposed bride of the White Knight
- Black Queen's Pawn — A Jesuitess.
- Black Knight — Alludes to Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, conde de Gondomar, who was the Spanish ambassador to London.
- Black Knight's Pawn — A suitor of the White Queen's Pawn and castrator of the White Bishop's Pawn.
- Black Duke — Alludes to Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares, a favourite of Philip IV
- Black Bishop — Alludes to the Father-General of the Jesuits.
- Black Bishop's Pawn — A Jesuit.
- Black Jesting Pawn — A comic pawn of unspecified allegiance who teases a White Pawn. Does not appear in all versions of the play.
- Black Pawn — A servant pawn of unspecified allegiance.
