StoryTitle("caps", "Mercy") ?>
by William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice
PoemStart() ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The quality of mercy is not strained;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest,—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The throned monarch better than his crown:", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The attribute to awe and majesty,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But mercy is above this sceptred sway,—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "It is an attribute to God himself;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And earthly power doth then show likest God's,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "When mercy seasons justice. ", "") ?>
PoemEnd() ?>