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                                                                     Exhibit 4.2

                         Form of Face of Book-Entry Note

         Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of
The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation ("DTC"), to the issuer or
its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any certificate
issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as requested
by an authorized representative of DTC and any payment is made to Cede & Co.,
ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY
PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an
interest herein.

REGISTERED NO.______________________________         CUSIP NO.__________________


Interest Rate:______________________________         Principal Amount: $________


Issue Date:   ______________________________


Maturity Date:______________________________


Interest Payment Date(s):___________________


Redemption Provisions:______________________


Repayment Provisions:_______________________


Survivor's Option:__________________________


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                       JOHN HANCOCK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                              [SIGNATURENOTES(SM)]

         For value received, JOHN HANCOCK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, a stock life
insurance company duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts (hereinafter called the "Company"), hereby promises to pay to
Cede & Co., or registered assigns, at the office of __________________,
_____________, __________, ________________, the principal amount stated above
on the Maturity Date stated above, in such coin or currency of the United States
of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of
public and private debts, and to pay interest thereon at the Interest Rate per
annum stated above (on the basis of a 360 day year of twelve 30 day months), in
like coin or currency, on the Interest Payment Date(s) set forth above and on
the Maturity Date (or on the date of redemption or repayment by the Company
prior to maturity pursuant to mandatory or optional redemption provisions,
provisions for redemption by the Company upon a Determination of Tax Event, or
the Survivor's Option, in each case if provided in any Issuance Order or
supplemental indenture applicable to this Note). The interest so payable on any
Interest Payment Date will, subject to certain exceptions provided in the
Indenture referred to below, be paid to the person in whose name this Note is
registered (i) if such Interest Payment Date occurs on the 15th day of a month,
at the close of business on the first day (whether or not a Business Day) of the
calendar month in which such Interest Payment Date occurs, (ii) if such Interest
Payment Date occurs on the first day of a month, at the close of business on the
15th day (whether or not a Business Day) of the calendar month preceding the
month in which such Interest Payment Date occurs, or (iii) if such Interest
Payment Date occurs on any day other than the first or 15th day of the month, at
the close of business on the 15th day (whether or not a Business Day) preceding
such Interest Payment Date; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing
clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), the Regular Record Date with respect to the final
Interest Payment Date will be the final Interest Payment Date. At the option of
the Company, interest may be paid by check to the registered holder hereof
entitled thereto at his last address as it appears on the registry books, and
principal may be paid by check to the registered holder hereof or other person
entitled thereto against surrender of this Note.

         Each payment of interest on a Note shall include accrued interest from
and including the Issue Date or from and including the last day in respect of
which interest has been paid (or duly provided for), as the case may be, to, but
excluding, the Interest Payment Date or the day to which the principal hereof
has been paid (or duly provided for), as the case may be.

         Additional Amounts shall be payable if so provided in the Issuance
Order or supplemental indenture applicable to this Note.

         This Global Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Notes of the
Company designated as its [SignatureNotes(SM)] (hereinafter called the "Notes"),
all issued or to be issued under and pursuant to an indenture dated as of
__________ __, 2002 (herein called the "Indenture") duly executed by the Company
to JPMorgan Chase Bank, Trustee (hereinafter, together with any successor
thereto, called the "Trustee"), to which Indenture and all indentures
supplemental thereto or Issuance Orders relating thereto, reference is hereby
made for a description of the rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the
Trustee and the rights thereunder of the holders of the Notes.

         In case an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall have
occurred and be continuing, the principal hereof may be declared, and upon such
declaration shall

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become, due and payable in the manner, with the effect and subject to the
conditions provided in the Indenture.

         The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the
Trustee, with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in
aggregate principal amount of all affected series or Tranches of Notes at the
time outstanding, evidenced as in the Indenture provided, to execute
supplemental indentures adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or
eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or any supplemental indenture
or modifying in any manner the rights of the holders of the Notes; provided,
that no such supplemental indenture shall (i) change the fixed maturity of any
Note, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the
time of payment of interest thereon, without the consent of the holder of each
Note so affected or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Notes, the consent
of the holders of which is required for any supplemental indenture, without the
consent of the holders of all affected Notes then outstanding.

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Global
Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company,
which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on
this Global Note at the places, at the respective times, at the rate, and in the
coin or currency, herein prescribed.

         Upon due presentment for registration of transfer of this Global Note
at the office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of
New York, a new Global Note for an equal aggregate principal amount will be
issued to the transferee in exchange therefor, subject to the limitations
provided in the Indenture, without charge except for any tax or other
governmental charge imposed in connection therewith.

         The Company and the Trustee may deem and treat the registered holder
hereof as the absolute owner hereof (whether or not this Global Note shall be
overdue), for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal
hereof and (subject to Section 2.03 of the Indenture) interest hereon and for
all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Trustee shall be affected by
any notice to the contrary.

         No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the
Company in the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto or in any Note,
or because of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, shall be had against any
incorporator, or against any past, present or future stockholder, officer or
director, as such, of the Company or of any successor corporation, either
directly or through the Company or any successor corporation, under any rule of
law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment
or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such personal
liability of every incorporator, stockholder, officer and director, as such,
being expressly waived and released by the acceptance hereof and as a condition
of and as part of the consideration for the issuance of this Global Note.

         Under certain circumstances described in the Indenture, the Company
will issue Notes in definitive form in exchange for the Global Notes. In such
event, an owner of a beneficial interest in the Global Notes will be entitled to
have Notes equal in aggregate

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principal amount to such beneficial interests registered in its name and will be
entitled to physical delivery of such Notes in definitive form. Notes so issued
in definitive form will be issued as registered Notes without coupons in
denominations of $1,000 or any amount in excess thereof that is an integral
multiple of $l,000.

      This Global Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York without giving effect to principles of conflicts
of laws of such state.

      Capitalized terms used herein without definition and which are defined in
the Indenture shall have the respective meanings assigned thereto in the
Indenture.

      This Global Note shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose
until the Certificate of Authentication hereon shall have been signed by the
Trustee under the Indenture.

      WITNESS THE SEAL OF THE COMPANY AND THE SIGNATURE OF ITS DULY AUTHORIZED
OFFICER.

                                            JOHN HANCOCK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY


Date: _____________________________         By:________________________________
                                               Title


[SEAL]





                     TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

     THIS IS ONE OF THE NOTES DESCRIBED IN THE WITHIN-MENTIONED INDENTURE.

                                            ___________________________________,
                                            AS TRUSTEE


                                            By:_________________________________
                                               Authorized Officer

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FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE:


________________________________________.





Please print or typewrite name and address including postal zip code of
assignee:

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

the within Global Note of JOHN HANCOCK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY and hereby does
irrevocably constitute and appoint__________________________Attorney to transfer
the said Global Note on the books of the within-mentioned Company, with full
power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:_____________________

SIGN HERE _________________________ NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE TO THIS ASSIGNMENT
MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE IN
EVERY PARTICULAR WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATSOEVER.

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