Misericord Vs. Misericorde

1. Prayers in the early medieval church for the daily divine offices were said standing with uplifted hands. Those who were old or infirm could use crutches or, as time went on, misericordia (literally “act of mercy”). Seating was constructed so that the seats could be turned up, the undersides being provided with a small shelf thus allowing a person a small level of comfort by leaning against it. Like most other medieval woodwork in churches, they were usually carved with skill and often show detailed scenes which belie their hidden position underneath the seats, especially in the choir stalls of the quire around the altar.

2. A misericorde was a long, narrow knife, used in medieval times to deliver the death stroke (the mercy stroke, hence the name of the blade, derived from the Latin misericordia, “mercy”) to a seriously wounded knight. The blade was thin enough so that it could strike through the gaps between armour plates.

This weapon was used to dispatch knights who had received mortal wounds, which were not always quickly fatal in the age of bladed combat; it could also be used as a means of killing an active adversary, as during a grappling struggle. The blade could be used against an opponent’s face, or thrust through holes or weak points in armor, such as under the arm, with the aim of piercing the heart. The weapon was known from the 12th century and has appeared in the armaments of Germany and England

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    One of these things is not like the other. One of these things is a dagger.
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