a room in a monastery set apart for those monks permitted relaxation of the monastic rule.
2.
Also, subsellium.a small projection on the underside of a hinged seat of a church stall, which, when the seat is lifted, gives support to a person standing in the stall.
3.
a medieval dagger, used for the mercy stroke to a wounded foe.
Also, mis·er·i·corde.
Origin: 1200–50; Middle English misericorde literally, pity, mercy, an act of clemency < Middle French < Latin misericordia pity, equivalent to misericord- (stem of misericors) compassionate (miseri-, stem of miserēre to pity + cord- stem of cor heart) + -ia-y3