As the Devil and his henchman prepare to set sail for hell, a group of sinners who have died and are awaiting judgment confront him, one after another.
First, a Gentleman appeals to an Angel who is at the helm of the Ship of Heaven, which is anchored nearby, but he is refused and consigned to Satan. A Usurer meets the same fate, as do John Anthony, a dishonest cobbler, and the Friar, a courtly lover and fencer who is accompanied by his flighty mistress Florence. Brizida Vaz, a procuress who is carrying her sack of ruined virgins, shady cards, lies, and chicanery, feels that she has been misjudged and deserves better than hell; but like a Jew, a Judge, and a Hanged Man, she is rejected by the Angel.
Only the Fool is allowed aboard the Ship of Heaven, because he committed his sins in innocence. As the Devil is about to cast off, the Angel claims four Knights of the Order of Christ, who although they took part in a war, nevertheless died in the service of Christ.