Though Condren’s article examines the function of intent and language in numerous ways, his argument in regards to how it functions within the character of the yeoman is particularly interesting. Condren asks readers to pay close attention to the guise of the yeoman as it relates to the intent of the Devil: “His yeoman’s dress, green jacket, bow, and arrows all suggest what is undoubtedly true, that he serves another, a lord whose prey he guards. Nor does his claim to be a bailiff (III. 1396) mislead. He does indeed make collections for a superior” (118). Here language conveys intent through metonymy rather than through verbal irony. Though it may be tempting to see the disguise as a deception, it is much more of an admission of honesty on
