Þe Prologe of Apocalips
Jon, þe apoſtil and euangeliſt of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, choſen and loued, in ſo gret loue of dileccioun is had, þat in þe cene on his breſt he ſhulde lyn, and at þe cros he hadde bitaken his owne modir to hym ſtondende alone, þat whom willende to be weddid to þe cleping of maidenhed he hadde clepid, to hym alſo he ſhulde han bitake a maiden to be kept. Þis alſo, whan for þe word of God and þe witneſſe of Jheſu Criſt wiþ outlaweri ſhulde be born in to þe ile of Paþmos, þere of þe ſame þe Apocalips forþ ſhewid was writen, þat as in þe bigynnyng of canon, þat is, of þe bok of Geneſis, an vncoruptible principle is fornotid, ſo an vncoruptible ende bi a maiden in þe Apocalips ſhulde be ȝoue of Criſt, ſeiende, I am alfa and oo, bygynnyng and ending. Þis is Jon, þe whiche knowende þe dai of paſſing fro bodi to han becomen to hym, his diſciplis in Effeſy clepid togidere, wente doun in to a delf place of his birielis, and, preȝeere fullfild, he ȝeld þe goſt, as wel fro þe ſorewe of deþ made ſtraunge, as fro corupcioun of fleſh he is knowen alyen. Of whoſe ſcripture neþeles þe diſpoſing, or þe ordynaunce, of þe boc þerfore of vs bi alle þingis is not expowned, þat to men not knowende deſyr of ſeching be ſet, and to men ſechende frut of trauaile, and to God þe doctrine of maiſterhed be kept.
Capitulum I. Apocalipſis, or reuelacioun, of Jheſu Criſt, þe whiche God ȝaf to him for to make opyn to his ſeruauntis, whiche þingis it bihoueþ to be maad ſoone. And he ſignyfiede, ſending bi his aungel to his ſeruaunt Joon, þe whiche bar witneſſing to þe word of God, and witneſſing of Jheſu Criſt, in þes þingis, what euere þinges he ſiȝe. Bleſſid he þat rediþ, and he þat heriþ þe wordis of þis prophecie, and kepiþ þo þingis þat ben writen in it; forſoþe þe tyme is nyȝ. Joon to ſeuen chirchis, þat ben in Aſye, grace to ȝou, and pees, of him þat is, and þat was, and þat is to comynge; and of þe ſeuen ſpiritis, þat ben in þe ſiȝt of his trone; and of Jheſu Criſt, þat is a feiþful witneſſe, þe firſte bigeten of deede men, and prince of kingis of erþe; þe which louede vs, and waiſchide vs fro oure ſynnes in his blood, and made vs a kingdom, and preſtes to God and to his fadir; to him glory and empire in to worldlis of worldlis. Amen. Lo! he comeþ wiþ clowdis, and ech iȝe ſhal ſee him, and þei þat pungeden, or prickeden, him; and alle þe kynredes, or lynages, of erþe ſhulen weile hem ſilf on him. Ȝhe, Amen! ſeiþ þe Lord God, I, Joon, ȝoure broþer, and parcener in tribulacioun, and kingdom, and pacience in Criſt Jheſu, was in an yle, þat is clepid Paþmos, for þe word of God, and witneſſyng of Jheſu. I was in ſpirit in þe Sunday, and I herde aftir me a greet voys, as of a trumpe, ſeiynge, And I turnede, þat I ſhulde ſee þe voys þat ſpake wiþ me; and I turned ſiȝe ſeuene candilſtickes of gold, and in þe mydle of þe ſeuene goldun candelſtickis a liche to þe ſone of man, cloþid wiþ a long preſtly clooþ, and bifore gyrd at þe teetis wiþ a golden gyrdel. Soþeli þe heed of him and heeres weren white, as whijt wulle, and as ſnow; and þe iȝen of him as flaume of fijr; and hiſe feet lijke to droſſe of gold, or latoun, as in a brennynge chymeney; and þe voys of him as þe voys of many watris. And he hadde in his riȝþond ſeuen ſterres, and a ſwerd ſharp on boþe ſijdis wente out of his mouþ; and his face ſhijneþ as þe ſunne in his vertu. And whan I hadde ſeyn hym, I fel doun at his feet, as deed. And he puttide his riȝþond on me, ſeiynge,
Capitulum II.
Capitulum III.