Here begynneth the kalendre of the newe legende of Englande

¶Unto whom belongeth medlyd lyfe. Ca. v.

THe thyrde lyfe y^e is the medlyd lyfe lōgeth to men of bodyly chyrche as to prelatys and to other cu∣ratys the whiche haue cure & soueraynte ouer other men for to teche & rule thē bothe theyr bodyes & theyr soulys pryncipally in fulfyllynge of the dedys of mercy bodelye & ghostly vnto thyse men it longyth somtyme to vse wer¦kys of mercy in actyfe lyfe in helpe & sustenaunce of them selfe & of theyr subgiettys & of other also / & sōtyme for to le¦ue all maner of busynes outwarde & to gyue theym vnto prayers / & medytacyons as redynge of holy wryt & to o∣ther ghostly occupacyōs after y^t they fele them disposyd / Also it lōgeth to some tēporall men which haue souereyn¦te with moch fauer of worldlye goodes / & haue also as it were lordshyp ouer other men for to gouerne & susteyne them as a fader hath ouer his chyldren / & a mayster ouer his seruaūtis & a Lorde ouer his tenaūtys / y^e whiche men haue also receyuyd of our Lordes gyfte grace of deuocy¦on

/ & ī party sauoure of ghostly occupacyon / Unto these men also lōgeth medlyd lyfe y^t is both actyfe & contempla¦tyfe / For is thyse men stōdynge y^e charge / & y^e bōde y^t they haue takyn wyll leue vtterly y^t busynes of the worde / the which ought skylfully to be vsyd ī fulfyllynge of her char¦ge & holly gyue them to cōtēplatyf lyfe / they do not well / for they kepe not y^e ordre of charyte / for charyte as thou knowyst well lyeth bothe in Loue of god & of thyn euen∣cristen / & therfore it is y^t he y^t hath charyte to vse bothe in werkynke now to y^t one / & nowe to y^t other / for he y^t for y^e loue of god in cōtemplacyon leuyth the loue of his euen∣cristen & doth not to them as he ought whan he is boūde therto / he fulfyllyth not charyte / also on y^e contraye wyse who so hath so great regarde to werke of actyfe lyfe & to busynes of y^e worlde y^t for the loue of his euēcristen he le∣uyth gostly occupacyō vtterly after y^t god hath dysposyd hym therto / he fulfyllyth not charyte / this is the sayinge of seynt gregory / for though our lorde for to styre some to vse this medlyd lyfe / toke vpon hym selfe the persone of such maner men both of prelatis of holy chyrch & of suche other as are disposed therto as I haue sayd & gaue them ensaumple by his owne werkynge y^t they shuld vse this medlyd lyfe as he dyd / One tyme he cōmonyd w^t men / & medlyd w^t them she wynge his dedys of mercy for theym taught the vncōnynge & vnknowen by his prechynge / he vysityd the syke & helyd theym of theyr dyseasys / he fed y^e hūgry & he cōfortyd y^t sory neuerthelesse other tymes he lefte y^e cōuersacyō of all worldly men / & of this dyscyples & went into desert vpon y^e hyllys & cōtynued all nyght in prayers alone as the gospell sayth / therfore this medlyd lyfe she wyth our lord in hym selfe to ensaūple of all other men y^t haue takyn the charge of this medlyd lyfe / y^t they shuld one tyme gyue thē to busynes of worldly thyngys

at resonable nede / and to the werkys of actyfe lyfe in pro¦fyt of theyr euencrysten whiche they haue cure of / and an other tyme gyue them holly to deuocyon and contempla¦cyon / in prayers / and medytacyons.