As far back as the 9th Century, the beautifully named 'Dunhuang Bureau of Etiquette' insisted that local officials use the following letter template (dated 856) when sending apologies to offended hosts. The guilty party would copy the template text, enter the dinner host's name, sign the letter and then deliver with head bowed.
The letter was discovered, alongside thousands of other documents, in a sealed cave library in western China.
(To read more visit the International Dunhuang Project)
The entire scroll, filled with form letters adapted for various situations, can be seen here.
bonus:
the modern apology template form (+ more template forms): link
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