_Adam._ O, what a precious word was that, "And let him want no drink!" [_Drink given to_ ADAM.] Well, sir, now I'll tell you forth my tale. Sir, as I was coming alongst the port-royal of Nineveh, there appeared to me a great devil, and as hard-favoured a devil as ever I saw; nay, sir, he was a cuckoldly devil, for he had horns on his head. This devil, mark you now, presseth upon me, and, sir, indeed, I charged him with my pike-staff; but when that would not serve, I came upon him with _Spritus santus_,--why, it had been able to have put Lucifer out of his wits: when I saw my charm would not serve, I was in such a perplexity, that sixpenny-worth of juniper would not have made the place sweet again. _Alvi._ Why, fellow, wert thou so afraid? _Adam._ O, mistress, had you been there and seen, his very sight had made you shift a clean smock! I promise you, though I were a man, and counted a tall fellow, yet my laundress called me slovenly knave the next day. _Rasni._ A pleasant slave.--Forward, sirrah, on with thy tale. _Adam._ Faith, sir, but I remember a word that my mistress your bed-fellow spoke. _Rasni._ What was that, fellow? _Adam._ O, sir, a word of comfort, a precious word--"And let him want no drink." _Rasni._ Her word is law; and thou shalt want no drink. [_Drink given to_ ADAM. _Adam._ Then, sir, this devil came upon me, and would not be persuaded, but he would needs carry me to hell. I proffered him a cup of ale, thinking, because he came out of so hot a place, that he was thirsty; but the devil was not dry, and therefore the more sorry was I. Well, there was no remedy but I must with him to hell: and at last I cast mine eye aside; if you knew what I spied you would laugh, sir; I looked from top to toe, and he had no cloven feet. Then I ruffled up my hair, and set my cap on the one side, and, sir, grew to be a justice of peace to the devil: at last in a great fume, as I am very choleric, and sometimes so hot in my fustian fumes that no man can abide within twenty yards of me, I start up, and so bombasted the devil, that, sir, he cried out and ran away. _Alvi._ This pleasant knave hath made me laugh my fill. Rasni, now Alvida begins her quaff, And drinks a full carouse unto her king. _Rasni._ A pledge, my love, as hearty as great Jove Drunk when his Juno heav'd a bowl to him.-- Frolic, my lords; let all the standards walk,[119] Ply it till every man hath ta'en his load.-- How now, sirrah, what cheer? we have no words of you. _Adam._ Truly, sir, I was in a brown study about my mistress. _Alvi._ About me! for what? _Adam,_ Truly, mistress, to think what a golden sentence you did speak: all the philosophers in the world could not have said more:--"What, come, let him want no drink." O, wise speech!