II. TIMOTHY.
[This prologue is from p.] Poul that schulde passe out of this world, wroot this ij. pistil fro Rome, fro prisoun, to Tymothe, maad wery with sijknes and aduersitees. And that Tymothe schulde traueile faste in the grace that God hadde ȝeuen to him, and excitith him to martirdom bi manye maners, and that he contynue in the office of riȝtful prechinge and holi worchinge.
And here sueth another prologe on the ii. pistil to Tymothe [This prologue is from y.] .
Poul the ii. tyme, whanne he was representid to Nero, witing that he schulde passe out of this world, wroote in persoun this ii. pistil fro Rome to Tymothe, maad weri with siiknesse and aduersites, that he schulde traueile faste in the grace that God hadde geuen to him. And he excitith him to martirdom bi manie maners, and that he contynue in the offis of riȝtful prechinge and holi worchinge. And this pistil is departid into iii. principal [partis. In the i. principal [Omitted in Ms.] ] part he moueth him to prechinge and pacience. In the ij. principal part he tellith to him of thingis that ben to come in the last daies, Perilous tymes schulen neiȝe, etc. In the thirde part he schewith him his departinge on his passioun beinge nyȝ, where he seith in the iiij. chap. thus, I witnesse bifore God, etc.