This article analyses John Dryden's personal and textual relations with the Butlers of Ormond as they are played out over four decades in a series of texts – Absalom and Achitophel (1681), the dedication of his Life of Plutarch (1683), the engraved plates of the Aeneid (1697), and the verse which opens Fables (1700). This detailed case study uncovers the nature and complexities of literary patronage during years of rebellion, war and intense political uncertainty. It addresses issues central to restoration politics and society – lineage, legitimacy, loyalty, honour, and reputation – and suggests how these issues might be explored more fully by both historians and literary scholars.