_S. Wife._ O, but, Adam, I am afraid to walk so late, because of the spirits that appear in the city. _Adam._ What, are you afraid of spirits? Armed as I am, with ale and nutmegs, turn me loose to all the devils in hell. _S. Wife._ Alas, Adam, Adam! the devil, the devil! _Adam._ The devil, mistress! fly you for your safeguard; [_Exit_ S. Wife.] let me alone; the devil and I will deal well enough, if he have any honesty at all in him: I'll either win him with a smooth tale, or else with a toast and a cup of ale. _Devil_ [_singing_]. _O, O, O, O, fain would I be,_ _If that my kingdom fulfill'd I might see!_ _O, O, O, O!_ _Adam._ Surely this is a merry devil, and I believe he is one of Lucifer's minstrels; hath a sweet voice; now surely, surely, he may sing to a pair of tongs and a bagpipe. _Devil._ O, thou art he that I seek for. _Adam. Spritus santus_!--Away from me, Satan! I have nothing to do with thee. _Devil._ O villain, thou art mine! _Adam. Nominus patrus_!--I bless me from thee, and I conjure thee to tell me who thou art! _Devil._ I am the spirit of the dead man that was slain in thy company when we were drunk together at the ale.[113] _Adam._ By my troth, sir, I cry you mercy; your face is so changed that I had quite forgotten you: well, master devil, we have tossed over many a pot of ale together. _Devil._ And therefore must thou go with me to hell. _Adam_ [_aside_]. I have a policy to shift him, for I know he comes out of a hot place, and I know myself, the smith and the devil hath a dry tooth in his head: therefore will I leave him asleep and run my way. _Devil._ Come, art thou ready? _Adam._ Faith, sir, my old friend, and now goodman devil, you know you and I have been tossing many a good cup of ale: your nose is grown very rich: what say you, will you take a pot of ale now at my hands? Hell is like a smith's forge, full of water, and yet ever athirst. _Devil._ No ale, villain; spirits cannot drink; come, get upon my back, that I may carry thee.[114] _Adam._ You know I am a smith, sir: let me look whether you be well shod or no; for if you want a shoe, a remove, or the clinching of a nail, I am at your command. _Devil._ Thou hast never a shoe fit for me. _Adam,_ Why, sir, we shoe horned beasts, as well as you,--[_Aside._] O good Lord! let me sit down and laugh; hath never a cloven foot; a devil, quoth he! I'll use _Spritus santus_ nor _Nominus patrus_ no more to him, I warrant you; I'll do more good upon him with my cudgel: now will I sit me down, and become justice of peace to the devil. _Devil._ Come, art thou ready? _Adam._ I am ready, and with this cudgel I will conjure thee. [_Beats him._ _Devil._ O, hold thy hand! thou killest me, thou killest me! [_Exit._ _Adam._ Then may I count myself, I think, a tall[115] man, that am able to kill a devil. Now who dare deal with me in the parish? or what wench in Nineveh will not love me, when they say, "There goes he that beat the devil?" [_Exit._