Mercy

Mercy

Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French merci, from Medieval Latin merced-, merces, from Latin, "price paid, wages", from merc-, merxi "merchandise") is a broad term that refers to benevolence, forgiveness and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts.

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Famous quotes containing the word mercy:

    ‘Alas!’ quoth he, ‘but newly born in fiery heats I fry,
    Yet none approach to warm their hearts or feel my fire but I.
    My faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns;
    Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorns;
    The fuel justice layeth on, and mercy blows the coals;
    The metal in this furnace wrought are men’s defiled souls;
    Robert Southwell (1561?–1595)

    Pity would be no more,
    If we did not make somebody poor;
    And mercy no more could be,
    If all were as happy as we;
    William Blake (1757–1827)

    Use mercy to them all.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)