Robert Herrick(1591–1674)
His Prayer to Ben Jonson
When I a verse shall make,
Know I have prayed thee,
For old religion's sake,
Saint Ben, to aid me.6
Make the way smooth for me,
When I, thy Herrick,
Honoring thee, on my knee
Offer my lyric.
Candles I'll give to thee,
And a new altar;
And thou, Saint Ben, shalt be
Writ in my psalter.7