James Day meets a man "in colour'd Cloths"(Anonymous 354) on his way home from fetching water, who bids him meet a Gentleman in the fields, and to bring a knife, a piece of paper, and a pen. James Day ventures to the field, and finds the Devil, and agrees to sell himself in exchange for "seventeen years Life and Happiness."(1)

James Day agrees in consultations to sign himself over to the Devil, and the Devil bids him write out a lease in his own blood, "having cut his Finger for that purpose." The Devil interrupts this, in order to do it faster himself. James Day does not understand some of the words in the new lease, and so he refuses to sign it, but agrees to meeting the following Saturday "for the perfecting of it."(1)

James Day is allegedly carried by the Devil to an unknown tavern, where they have "Sack and March Beer sugar'd, with other Liquours," where the Devil pressures him to sign the lease of his soul. In this tavern, there was no barman, but "cups were always full." Upon returning home, and informing his master, Roger Day, and neighbours (Anonymous 355) of these events, James Day is told he must meet the Devil the following week, and that there was nothing they could do.(1)