Miles. Know you, sir! why, are not you one of my maisters devils, that were wont to come to my maister, Doctor Bacon, at Brazennose?
Devil. Yes, marry, am I.
Miles. Good Lord, M[aister] Plutus, I have seene you a thousand times at my maisters, and yet I had never the manners to make you drinke. But, sir, I am glad to see how conformable you are to the statute.[1566]—I warrant you, hees as yeomanly a man as you shall see: marke you, maisters, heers a plaine honest man, without welt or garde.[1566]—But I pray you, sir, do you come lately from hel?
Devil. I, marry: how then? 30
Miles. Faith, tis a place I have desired long to see: have you not good tipling-houses there? may not a man have a lustie fier there, a pot of good ale, a paire of cardes, a swinging peece of chalke,[1567] and a browne toast that will clap a white wastcoat[1568] on a cup of good drinke? 35
Devil. All this you may have there.
Miles. You are for me, freinde, and I am for you. But I pray you, may I not have an office there?
Devil. Yes, a thousand: what wouldst thou be? 39
Miles. By my troth, sir, in a place where I may profit my selfe. I know hel is a hot place, and men are mervailous drie, and much drinke is spent there; I would be a tapster.
Devil. Thou shalt.