Pierre Montallier: The Works of Mercy, c. 1680

Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French merci, from Medieval Latin merced-, merces, from Latin, "price paid, wages", from merc-, merx "merchandise") can refer both to compassionate behaviour on the part of those in power (e. Middle English is the name given by Historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the Liturgical language of the medieval Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. g. mercy shown by a judge toward a convict) or on the part of a humanitarian third party (e. g. a mission of mercy aiming to treat war victims). Mercy is a term used to describe the leniency or compassion shown by one person to another, or a request from one person to another to be shown such leniency or unwarranted compassion for a crime or wrongdoing. Compassion is a profound human Emotion prompted by the pain of others One of the basic virtues of chivalry, Christian ethics and Islam, it is also related to concepts of justice and morality in behaviour between people. Chivalric order Chivalry is a term related to the Medieval institution of Knighthood. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Ethics is a major branch of Philosophy, encompassing right conduct and good life For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. JUSTICE is a Human rights and law reform organisation based in the United Kingdom. Morality (from the Latin la moralitas "manner character proper behavior" has three principal meanings In India, compassion is known as karuna. Karuṇā ( Sanskrit; Pāli) is generally translated as " Compassion " or "pity

In a legal sense, a defendant having been found guilty of a capital crime may ask for clemency from being executed. Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. A pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with it Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment.

To be "mercy", the behavior generally can not be compelled by outside forces. (A famous literary example is from The Merchant of Venice when Portia asks Shylock to show mercy. The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598 He asks, On what compulsion, must I? She responds The quality of mercy is not strained. )

A number of organizations (e. g. the Mercy Corps, the Sisters of Mercy, Mercyful Fate and the Temple of Mercy and Charity) use the word "mercy" in their name to describe their work. Mercy Corps is a Non-profit organization engaged in Humanitarian aid and development activities The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy (RSM is an order of Catholic Women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland in Mercyful Fate is an influential Danish heavy metal band often cited among the influences in the Black metal, Thrash metal, Power metal The Temple of Mercy and Charity (Świątynia Miłosierdzia i Miłości is a Mariavite Cathedral in Płock in central Poland.

References

• Ralf van Bühren: Die Werke der Barmherzigkeit in der Kunst des 12. –18. Jahrhunderts. Zum Wandel eines Bildmotivs vor dem Hintergrund neuzeitlicher Rhetorikrezeption (Studien zur Kunstgeschichte, vol. 115), Hildesheim / Zürich / New York: Verlag Georg Olms 1998. ISBN 3-487-10319-2
• Sterling Harwood, "Is Mercy Inherently Unjust?," in Michael J. Gorr and Sterling Harwood, eds. , Crime and Punishment: Philosophic Explorations (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. , 2000, formerly Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 1996), pp. 464-470.
• Jeffrie G. Murphy, "Mercy and Legal Justice," in Michael J. Gorr and Sterling Harwood, eds. , Crime and Punishment: Philosophic Explorations (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. , 2000, formerly Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 1996), pp. 454-463.
• Lampert, K. (2005); Traditions of Compassion: From Religious Duty to Social Activism. Palgrave-Macmillan
• Witt, David (2008); "Mercy"