Speaker
The Cavaliers were a group of men united by a loyalty to the political concept of monarchy in general and to the King specifically. They were also united by cavalier attitude toward women which was defined by outrageously flirtatious behavior and having absolutely no problem at all with enjoying multiple partners. Monogamy simply wasn’t their thing. And that is what the speaker of this poem is desperately trying to explain to the woman to whom he swore undying allegiance. The very first argument he forwards in defense of his way of life is that not once in the entire time since he swore that allegiance a whole twelve hours ago has he even once been unfaithful.
The arguments gets worse from there. Since Lovelace was himself one of the leading members of the Cavalier poets, it is natural to assume that the speaker is a self-portrait of a man with a cavalier attitude toward romantic relationships created by a poet sharing the same attitude. In reality, Lovelace is considered more an example of the traditional Renaissance gentleman who eschewed the stereotypical traits of the Cavalier men who populate his poetry.
The Lady
The woman to whom the man is speaking is addressed only as Lady and there is not much detail in the poem to distinguish her as an individual. Which, of course, is part of the point. The reader does learn she has brown hair, but only as a result of the speaker confessing his desire to experience women with black and blonde hair. One very significant aspect of the Lady which can be inferred from the text is that she is not a wilting flower willing to overlook his infidelities for the sake of keeping the peace. The peace has already long exploded before the opening words as it is precisely her aggressive pushback on his flirtations that has led to this pathetic attempt to justify his behavior.
