Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	anger_n	lord_n	slow_a	2,036	5	9.7827	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68283	Foure bookes of offices enabling privat persons for the speciall seruice of all good princes and policies. Made and deuised by Barnabe Barnes.	Barnes, Barnabe, 1569?-1609.	1606 (1606)	STC 1468; ESTC S106957	238,357	234

Cato of Vtica did in Africke instruct his souldiers how to beare themselues amongst a swarme of mortall stings how to suffer heat hunger thirst sickenesse for this vertue fenceth and prepareth his mind against all wounds inflicted in fight and Quintus Fabius likewise whom I mentioned in my second booke That Generall therefore which is verely valiant will in the effusion and smoking current of his owne blood that from him washeth away all spots of shame and deformities fight most eagerly considering that his most grace and highest commendation in conflict is to stand stedfast foote to foote without giuing any ground or turning his face away from the aduersarie vnlesse good aduantages and opportunities require the same He likewise that can with most ingenious fortitude discouer auoyd and turne the fallacies engines and mischiefes of his enemies vpon their owne heads and he semblably who being wounded rewounded and surrewounded vpon the face will not shrinke nor yeeld himselfe but holding a secret combat betwixt dolor and glory fighteth in blood sweate and dust vnto the last spiracle of his life not doubling his body nor faintly staggering vnder the weight of his enemies arme neither touching the ground during the combat with hands or knees It is likewise honorably noted in the combattant that shall wound his foes vpon their heads foreheads or other nobler members which obseruations Vegetius specially requireth in the fanteries if therefore this be considered Vtifortem animū gerant quantoque sibi in praelio minus pepercissent tanto tutiores fore that they beare a valiant spirit and that they shall better and more safely defend their bodies and honours by how much more earnest and lesse sparing they be of themselues then will this noble vertue of patience and true fortitude victoriously flourish in the hearts of all good souldiers This vertue doth as Cicero defineth consist in suffering continuall and voluntarie toyle and hardnesse vpon honest profitable termes which is a firme and constant toleration of humane affaires when with a mind and spirit vnbroken we beare all calamities which may happen this long sufferance of griefe and trauaile must be grounded vpon some honest cause for if vnder the reuerend and demure roabes thereof hatred wealth or honour being riotous and ruffionlike companious be concealed then is it not any branch of fortitude but the extreamitie thereof importing a sauage and reasonlesse hardinesse Patience consisteth in suffering iniuries and in cheerefull bearing all the crosses of fortune herein is the Prouerbe compleat that Patience is victorie for in repressing his owne affection a man both subdueth himselfe and his aduersarie whereas in contrary being subiected and made a vassall vnto the scourge of his owne appetites he wilfully submitteth himselfe to that brutish yoake being prouoked by wrath and desire onely let vs neglect wrong and it is easily vanquished leauing vengeance to the benefit of time and to the powerfull iudgement of the great iudge and avenger For according to blessed Paul In hauing patience we doe the will of God by which we receiue the promise of saluation And Salomon that oracle of wisedome confirming it in a parable or wise concealed sentence saith That he which is slow to wrath is better then the mightie man and he that ruleth the mind exceedeth a conqueror of cities Moreouer God himselfe when he discended in a cloud to Moses proclaimed his mercie manifested in patience when he cryed before his face The Lord the Lord is strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and full of goodnesse and trueth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing sinne and iniquitie And thence is it that holy Paul calleth him the God of patience and consolation which ensueth it admonishing the Thessalonians in another place to be patient towards all sorts of men Patience therefore being a principall member of fortitude giueth vs a conquest and possession of our owne soules in peace and comfort pouertie exile losse of parents friends children sorow reproch contempt seruitude grieuous sicknesse blindnesse with all the miserable defects and mischiefes of nature and fortune if a man ponder that his life is by course of mortalitie full of vexation and heauinesse are nothing and therefore iust honor inuiteth him to combate or wrestle willingly with all calamities that he may purchase a glorious and renounced victorie ouer them rather then like a foolish coward wilfully to trust himselfe without courageous resistance into the iawes of ineuitable troubles as by some dastardly mancipation of himselfe that though he be broken by it yet it may be said that he was not subdued but as it were voluntarily sacrificed vnto it for no man is said to feele griefe but he that complaineth of it Them that in desperate causes as in respect of pouertie disgrace captiuitie or in amorous passion should kill or cast away themselues for such persons Aristotle termeth effeminate I cannot hold to be verely valiant whereas it is the part of true valor to beare in equall ballance of minde m●…hiefe and prosperitie a sure token of cowardize and idlenesse also to distrust faint or filthily to be deiected in troubles Impacience which is the softnesse of a minde echewing labour and the tolleration of dolor opposeth it such as are afraid to take paines and to be grieued thinking sorrowes vnsufferable which patience teacheth vs to tollerate are in this opposition and such likewise as cannot beare honours and prosperitie with moderation but become insolent without measure are in as much fault or more Perseuerance likewise is another branch of fortitude being a constant perpetuall and considerate apprehension of reason conuersing in the former perfections repressing their contraries and yoaking them to discretion for without constancie equabilitie which is the geometricall proportion from the centre to the iust circumference of fortitude no man can be called truely valiant Lenitie with a giddy disposition of humane affaires withstandeth it this either through effeminacie doth vnaduisedly yeeld it selfe prisoner to troubles and cannot indure the burthen of them or with pertinacitie when reason ought to change it doth arrogantly and contumaciously persist in a friuolous opinion and so much for the morall knowledge of Chieftaines fit for euery worthy souldior to learne and exercise Casar extolleth this noble gift of perseuerance in a souldior whereas in contrary the coward and he which forsaketh his colours is punished with death Also mutuall loue and charitie should be dispersed amongst them so that as they partake in paines and passion they should likewise perseuere declaring themselues companions in consolation according to the saying of blessed Paul Militarie charitie dependeth vpon two speciall points vpon the ayding and seconding of our fellow-souldiers in extremities and vpon constant perseuerance in maintenance thereof when truth and equitie stande with their quarrels There be certaine of the liberall Sciences likewise most needfull towardes the knowledge of all martiall Gouernours namely the studies of Arithmetick and