in order of appearance:
- p.11 Mungo Tennant
- 11 Lymond's mercenary company
- 11 the Sea-Catte, ship which brings Lymond to Scotland
- 12 Francis Crawford of Lymond
- 13 Wat Scott, Sir Walter Scott of Buccleuch
- 13 Thomas Erskine, Master of Erskine
- 13 Hob Hewat, a water carrier in Edinburgh
- 13 Tennant's pig
- 13 Tennant's steward
- 18 Mariotta Crawford (by m), wife of Richard
- 18 Janet Beaton, wife of Wat Scott of Buccleuch
- 18 Sybilla Semple, mother to Lymond and Richard
- 23 Richard Crawford, Lord Culter
- 23 Christian Stewart, goddaughter to Janet, dowager Lady Fleming
- 28 Matthew Abernethy ("Turkey Mat"), one of Lymond's mercenaries
- 35 Johnnie Bullo, "King of Little Egypt"
- 35 Colin, one of Lymond's mercenaries
- 37 William Scott of Kincurd, son of Wat Scott of Buccleuch
- 37 Dandy-puff, one of Lymond's mercenaries
- 41 Charlie ("Oyster Charlie"), one of Lymond's mercenaries
- 46 Drummond, English captain stationed in Annan
- 47 Henry Wharton, son of Lord Wharton
- 49 Matthew Stewart, Earl of Lennox
- 49 Thomas Wharton, Baron Wharton, captain of Carlisle and Warden of the Western Marches
- 54 Joe ("Jess's Joe"), one of Lymond's mercenaries
- 55 Charlie Bannister, a messenger for the English
- 59 prisoner
- 59 Hugh
- 60 Simon Bogle, servant to Christian Stewart and the Fleming household
- 75 George Douglas of Pittendriech, brother to Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus
- 78 Andrew Hunter of Ballaggan
- 79 Elspet, nurse to young Queen Mary
- 79 Mary of Guise, dowager Queen of Scotland, referred to as the Queen Mother occasionally
- 79 Mistress Kemp, nurse to young Queen Mary
- 79 Mary, Queen of Scots
- 87 Agnes Herries, Lady Herries
- 90 Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus, father to Margaret Douglas
- 90 James Douglas of Drumlanrig, brother-in-law to Archibald and George Douglas
- 103 Lang Cleg, the, one of Lymond's mercenaries
- 106 William Grey, Baron Grey of Wilton, Lord Lieutenant of the Northern Parts for England and Warden of the East Marches
- 106 Myles, secretary to Lord Grey
- 107 Edward Dudley, English captain of Hume Castle in Scotland
- 108 Woodward, Dudley's lieutenant
- 111 Luis Fernando de Cordoba y Avila
- 124 Catherine Hunter (by m), Andrew's mother
- 125 Jonathan Crouch of Keswick, former officer of the English Royal Household
- 131 Patey Liddell, goldsmith in Edinburgh
- 142 Bullo's gypsies
- 147 Menteith
- 175 Molly, proprietress of the Ostrich Inn
- 177 Sally, girl at the Ostrich Inn
- 177 Elizabeth, girl at the Ostrich Inn
- 177 Joan, girl at the Ostrich Inn
- 178 John Maxwell, Master of Maxwell
- 182 Campbell, Tammas Ban, bagpiper to the Earl of Argyll and guest at the Ostrich
- 182 "Green-fustian", customer at the Ostrich Inn
- 186 Gideon Somerville, former officer of the English Royal Household
[more to follow, including:]
- Margaret Douglas, wife of the Earl of Lennox and daughter to the Earl of Angus
- Katherine Somerville (by m), Gideon's wife
- Philippa Somerville, Gideon's daughter
- Thomas Wharton, son of Lord Wharton
- Henry Lauder of St. Germains, Lord Advocate to the Queen
- Archibald Campbell, Earl of Argyll and Lord Justice-General
- Robert Bowes, English Warden of the East and Middle Marches
- Thomas Palmer
Significant persons who are mentioned but do not actually appear:
- 12 Edward VI, King of England
- 17 Eloise Crawford
- 17 Gavin Crawford, Lord Culter
- 22 James Hamilton, Earl of Arran and Governor of Scotland
- 22 Henry VIII, King of England
- 22 James V, King of Scotland
- 23 Janet Stewart, dowager Lady Fleming, aunt and governess to young Queen Mary
- 30 Francis I, King of France
- 30 Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain
- 30 Henry II, King of France
- 93 Mary, Queen of England, (future queen)
- 93 Elizabeth, Queen of England, (future queen)
- 107 John Dudley, Earl of Warwick (entry in Companion)
- 139 Margaret Fleming, (Graham by m)
- Samuel Harvey, former officer of the English Royal Household
- Pope Paul III (entry in Companion)
- David Beaton, Cardinal Archbishop of St Andrews (entry in Companion)