Degradation

In ecclesiastical law

A censure by which a clergyman is deprived of the holy orders which he had as a priest or deacon. DEGREE (Fr. degre, from Lat. gradus, a step in a stairway; a round of a ladder). A remove or step in the line of descent or consanguinity. The state or civil condition of a person. The ancient English statute of additions, for example, requires that in process, for the better description of a defendant, his state, degree, or mystery shall be mentioned. An honorable state or condition to which a student is advanced in testimony of proficiency in arts and sciences. They are of pontifical origin.

See 1 Schmidt, Thesaurus, 144; Vicat, Doctores; Minshew, Diet. "Bachelor"; Merlin, Repert; Van Espen, pt. 1, tit. 10; Giannone, Istoria di Napoli, lib. xi. c.

2, — ^for a full account of this matter. DEHORS (Fr. out of; without). Something out of the record, agreement, will, or other thing spoken of; something foreign to the matter in question, DEI GRATIA (Lat. by the grace of God). An expression used in the titles of sovereigns, and considered as one of the prerogatives <Sf royalty, propria jvra majesta Us, although anciently a part of the titles of inferior ofl Scers and magistrate^, ecclesiastical and civlL Spelman.