In the first scene of the induction, we meet Christopher Sly, a drunken English beggar who is getting thrown out of an alehouse for breaking glasses. The Hostess goes to get the authorities, and Sly falls asleep. At that moment, a Lord and his huntsmen ride up. The Lord is concerned about his dogs, but then he catches sight of Sly. He thinks him to be a “monstrous beast,” lying there like a swine, and he decides to have some fun with him. The Lord will take Sly home and put him to bed in his grand house. He will have his servants treat Sly with the greatest luxury and then laugh when the beggar wakes up confused. The huntsmen agree to the joke and carry Sly off.

Then a company of players arrives. They wish to perform for the Lord, and he agrees, but he warns them that another “lord” will be at his house and tells them they should not laugh if he behaves rather strangely. The Lord sends a servant to his page, Bartholomew, to tell the lad to dress up like a lady and pretend to be Sly's wife. Bartholomew is to lead Sly to believe that the latter has been mad for many years and has been acting like a beggar