Inviting A Friend To Supper

Tonight, grave sir, both my poor house and I Do equally desire your company; Not that we think us worthy such a guest, But that your worth will dignify our feast With those that come, whose grace may make that seem Something, which else could hope for no esteem. It is the fair acceptance, sir, creates The entertainment perfect; not the cates. Yet shall you have, to rectify your palate, An olive, capers, or some better salad Ushering the mutton; with a short-legged hen, If we can get her, full of eggs, and then Lemons and wine for sauce; to these, a coney Is not to be despaired of, for our money; And though fowl, now, be scarce, yet there are clerks, The sky not falling, think we may have larks. Ill tell you of more, and lie, so you will come: Of partridge, pheasant, woodcock, of which some May yet be there; and godwit, if we can, Knat, rail, and ruff, too.    Howsoeer, my man Shall read a piece of Virgil, Tacitus, Livy, or of some better book to us, Of which well speak our minds, amidst our meat; And Ill profess no verses to repeat; To this, if ought appear which I know not of, That will the pastry, not my paper, show of. Digestive cheese, and fruit there sure will be; But that which most doth take my Muse, and me Is a pure cup of rich Canary wine, Which is the Mermaids now, but shall be mine; Of which had Horace or Anacreon tasted, Their lives, as do their lines, till now had lasted. Tobacco, nectar, or the Thespian spring Are all but Luthers beer to this I sing. Of this we shall sup free, but moderately, And we will have no Pooly, or Parrot by; Nor shall our cups make any guilty men, But at our parting we shall be as when We innocently met.    No simple word That shall be uttered at our mirthful board Shall make us sad next morning, or affright The liberty that well enjoy tonight.