'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown :
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;

An earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation : 1
we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;

Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.
Shylock. My deeds upon my head! 2 I crave the law,
The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

The Merchant of Venice, Act iv. Sc. 1, 1. 181.

No ceremony that to great ones 'longs,

Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword,
The marshal's truncheon, nor the judge's robe,

1 Now the just shall live by faith. — Heb. x. 38.

2 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Matt. xxvii. 25.

THE DUTY OF SHOWING MERCY.

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Become them with one-half so good a grace
As mercy does.

Measure for Measure, Act ii. Sc. 2, 1. 59.

Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods?

Draw near them then in being merciful :

Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge.

Titus Andronicus, Act i. Sc. 1, 1. 117.

Forgiveness of Injuries.

I seye, thyn enemy shallow love for Goddes sake by his comandement, for if it were reson that a man sholde haten his enemy, for sothe God nolde nat receyven us to his love that been hise enemys.

GEOFFREY CHAUCER, Canterbury Tales, 1. 18,766.

BUCKINGHAM BEFORE HIS EXECUTION

ALL good people,

You that thus far have come to pity me,

Hear what I say, and then go home and lose me.

I have this day received a traitor's judgment,
And by that name must die: yet, heaven bear witness,
And if I have a conscience, let it sink me,

Even as the axe falls, if I be not faithful!

The law I bear no malice for my death;

'T has done, upon the premises, but justice:

But those that sought it I could wish more Christians :

Be what they will, I heartily forgive 'em :

Yet let 'em look they glory not in mischief,

Nor build their evils on the gråves of great men ;
For then my guiltless blood must cry against 'em.
For further life in this world I ne'er hope,
Nor will I sue, although the king have mercies

FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES.

More than I dare make faults. You few that loved me,

And dare be bold to weep for Buckingham,

His noble friends and fellows, whom to leave

Is only bitter to him, only dying,

Go with me, like good angels, to my end;

And, as the long divorce of steel falls on me,

Make of your prayers one sweet sacrifice,

And lift my soul to heaven. Lead on, o' God's name.

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Sir Thomas Lovell. I do beseech your grace, for charity,

If ever any malice in your heart

Were hid against me, now to forgive me frankly.

Buck. Sir Thomas Lovell, I as free forgive you

As I would be forgiven:1 I forgive all ;

There cannot be those numberless offences

'Gainst me that I cannot take peace with: no black envy
Shall mark my grave. Commend me to his grace;
And, if he speak of Buckingham, pray, tell him
You met him half in heaven: my vows and prayers
Yet are the king's; and, till my soul forsake,
Shall cry for blessings on him: may he live
Longer than I have time to tell his years!
Ever beloved and loving may his rule be!
And when old time shall lead him to his end,
Goodness and he fill up one monument !

King Henry VIII., Act 2, Sc. 1, 1. 55.

1 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. - Matt. vi. 14, 15.

Forecast and Watchfulness.

Since we have rightly made our prayer to God,
Let us now go, O boys, to where the wise
Impart their knowledge of the Muses' arts.
Each day we need to take some forward step,
Till we gain power to study nobler things.
Evil a boy will learn without a guide,
With little labour, learning from himself;
But good, not even with his teacher near,
Dwells in his soul, but is full hardly gained:
Let us then, boys, be watchful, and work hard,
Lest we should seem with men untaught to rank,
The children of a father far from home.

SOPHOCLES, Fragments, 1. 779.

DETERMINE on some course,

More than a wild exposture to each chance

That starts i' the way before thee.

Coriolanus, Act iv. Sc. 1, l. 35.

I'll undertake 't:

I think he'll hear me. Yet, to bite his lip

And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts me.

He was not taken well; he had not dined: