University of Virginia Library

An Occasional Frolick to an unknown Friend.

Sir, By my life I know not what to write:
Iack Ager swears your wit is infinite;
As boundlesse as his praises, or the seas,
or our swell'd Caps that Elboe-in with these.
Of such a fervent Fancy it might win
an Anchorite to fall in love with sin.
Our Healths, that clip Times wings, and swifter passe
than his dwarff-Minutes, or his spacious glass
Disburthens her big Womb of Pigme-sands,
to you we dedicate: whil'st our Commands
As weighty as our Liquor, fals on's head,
that dares but hope that he can grope to Bed.
As our Gorge fils, we give our bodies ease.
and gush forth Flouds, as Seas do combat Seas:
That as an Inundation plaies its pranks,
we make the Ioraanes to o'reflow their Banks.
If any Nod under fell, Morpheus weight,
our waking Iustice takes him Napping straight;
And in Contempt we let the Stinckard sink
in his own puddle, though we swim in drink.
To stand is out of use; to walk upright
doth savour too much of the Hypocrite.
But, like mad Greeks, we fight upon the knee,
'till to the chin in blood of Grapes we be,
And him we count a most Herculean Asse,
that wants the Art to multiply a glasse,
That so our Opticks may with little trouble,
take quarts for pottles, and see all things double.
If any shrink 'cause money he doth lack,
wee'l drown his Hogshead in a But of Sack.
But by th' addition of my Cups, I feel
my Muse is drunk, and now my Verses reel;
I'm sure they have the Staggers; then (Sir) think
what I have done amiss was in my drink.
Your Healths our Healths preserve, and hearty Sack
is Belly-food, and Raiment for the Back:
Nor want we Musick to maintain the Season;
our Pottle pots do keep their Diapazon.
Thus much as I am Mortal; but the sire
that Courts your Knowledge of me, reacheth high'r,
And cannot be less powerfull than the Flame
circled Prometheus, till I meet the same.
I rest, as you please to stile