[This prologue is from S.] Prologe [Prologus. O. No prologue in AMPQX; a space left in G; in N and T of the later version. No initial rubric in V.] .
JON, the apostil and euangelist of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, chosen [ychose OVY.] and loued, in so gret loue of dileccioun is had, that in the cene [soper O.] on [vpon OVY.] his brest he shulde lyn [lygge OVY.] , and at the cros he hadde bitaken his owne modir to hym stondende alone, that [Om. O.] whom will|ende to [Om. Y.] be weddid to the cleping of maidenhed he hadde clepid [ycleeped O.] , to hym also he shulde han bitake [take OV.] a maiden [mayde OVY.] to be kept. This [These VY.] also, whan for the word of God and the [Om. V.] witnesse of Jhesu Crist with outlaweri shulde be born in to the ile of Pathmos, there of the same the [Om. N.] Apocalips forth [affore O. for VY.] shewid was writen, that as in the bigynnyng of canon, that is, of the bok of Genesis, an [Om. O.] vncoruptible principle is fornotid, so an vncoruptible ende bi a maiden [mayde OVY.] in the Apocalips shulde be ȝoue [ȝolden OV.] of Crist, seiende, I am alfa and oo, bygynnyng and ending [eende O.] . This is Jon, the whiche knowende the dai of passing fro bodi to han becomen [be i come VY.] to hym, his disciplis in Effesy clepid [yclepid Y.] togidere, wente doun in to a delf [delued O. dewȝ VY.] place of his birielis, and, preȝeere [prayeres O.] fullfild [ifulfillid VY pr. m.] , he ȝeld [ȝelded O.] the gost, as wel fro the [Om. OVY.] sorewe of deth made [imaad VY.] straunge, as fro corupcioun of flesh he is knowen alyen. Of whose scripture netheles [neuertheles VY.] the `disposing, or the [Om. OV. disposynge other Y.] ordynaunce, of the boc `therfore of [therof to O.] vs bi [Om. O.] alle thingis is not expowned, that to men not [of Y sec. m.] knowende desyr of seching be set, and to men sechende frut of trauaile, and to God the [Om. O.] doctrine of maisterhed be kept.