Cuncta licet cecidisse putas discrimina rerum,
Et prius incerta nunc tibi certa manent,
Consiliis usure meis tamen aspice caute,
Subdola non fallat te dea fraude sua:
Saepe solet placido mortales fallere vultu,
Et cute sub placida tabida saepe dolent;
Ut quando secura putas et cuncta serena,
Anguis sub viridi gramine saepe latet.
Though ye suppose all jeperdys ar paste,
And all is done that ye lokyd for before,
Ware yet, I rede you, of Fortunes dowble cast,
For one fals poynt she is wont to kepe in store,
And vnder the fell oft festered is the sore:
That when ye thynke all daunger for to pas,
Ware of the lesard lyeth lurkyng in the gras.
(John Skelton)
More Poetry from John Skelton:
- The Bowge of Courte (John Skelton Poems)
- An Elegie on Henry, fourth Erle of Northumberlande (John Skelton Poems)
- The Tunning of Elenor Rumming (John Skelton Poems)
- The Book of Phillip Sparrow (John Skelton Poems)
- Of all nacyons vnder the heuyn (John Skelton Poems)
- A Ballad of the Scottsysshe Kyne (John Skelton Poems)