miserere, misericord.
1. Mercy-seat, subsellium, or miniature ledge on the underside of hinged medieval choir-stall seats, so that, when the seats were folded upright, the misericords could give support to a person standing up. It had a carved corbel-like element under the ledge, frequently representing everyday life, comic episodes, fantastic creatures, fables, and even indecencies. Excellent carved medieval misericords survive, e.g. in the Parish Church of St Laurence, Ludlow, Salop.

2. Room where monastic regulations were relaxed.

Bibliography

M. Anderson (1954);
F. Bond (1910);
J. Parker (1850);
Remnant (1969)

Miserere (Nobis) (Lat., ‘have mercy on us’). A prayer in common use in Christianity, derived from such Psalms as 51. 1, and often used as a response (Kyrie eleison).

Miserere. Ps. 51 (50 in RC numeration). In the RC Church it is sung in the service of Lauds. It has frequently been set by composers. A famous operatic setting occurs in Act 4 of Il trovatore, for sop., ten., ch., and orch.

miserere a psalm in which mercy is sought, especially Psalm 51 (50 in the Vulgate), beginning ‘Miserere mei Deus [Have mercy upon me, O God]’, or the music written for it.