John the Earendel

Þa wæs acynned se mon Sancte Iohannes, se wæs mara ond selra eallum mannum. He wæs gelic Godes englum, ond he wæs beme, Cristes fricca on þysne middangeard, ond wæs Godes Suna spellboda, ond segnbora þæs ufancundan Kyninges... Ond nu seo Cristes gebyrd æt his æriste, se niwa eorendel Sanctus Iohannes... Ond forþon þe nu þæt is se dema Drihten Crist, seo beme Sanctus Iohannes, ond nu mid God selfa on þysne middangeard cuman wille – gange se engel beforan him Sanctus Iohannes.

Then was born the man Saint John, who was greater and more excellent than all other men. He was like the angels of God, and he was the trumpet, Christ's crier in this middle-earth, and the messenger of God's Son, the standard-bearer of the Supernal King... And now the birth of Christ [was] at his appearing, and the new day-spring (eorendel) was Saint John... And because that Christ the Lord is now the Judge, Saint John will be the trumpet, and will therefore come with God himself upon this middle-earth – let the messenger, i.e. Saint John, go before him. (The Blickling Homilies; trans. R. Morris, with some changes by me)