Epistle XXII. To his Honoured Friend R. Henley Esquire

Sir,

Though I woed you not in Verse, or Prose,
To make my name, and me more glorious:
By being your Clerk, the work is done, I find;
Not that I'm worthy on't, but you are kind:

Therefore these lines address themselves to you,
Not givenfreely t'you, but paid as due:
And that they may your kind acceptance win,
They've Sack (their common badge) with them and in;
And I presume, without much scruple; you
May drink old Sack, although the year be new:

But though I am not rich enough to send
Gifts fit for you t'accept; nor do intend
T'enrich Peru: nor think it fit to give
Our betters that, by which our selves should live.
This will, I hope, your candid nature move,
'Cause I give freely what I dearly love;
And I believe 'tis true, what I've been told,
You love good Sack, as well as your partner Gold.
I know not whether you'l like this or no;
But if it be not good, my will is so:
May it prove excellent! and may all those,
That drink it freely, be ingenuous:
That is, be found or made so! unto yours and you,
May this year prove as prosperous as new:
May we live quiet, and lay by our swords:
And have no more lawless and boistrous Lords!
May the Law stand! may Justice rule the roast;
One sober Judge rules better then an hoast:
And be assur'd this truth you'l ever find;
I'll be as dutiful as you are kind.
Nor shall you in your Rolls find out a Man,
Would serve you more then I, though many can.