e. The Composite Order, called also Roman, being in- vented by that people, and composed of the Ionic graft- ed upon the Corinthian, is of the same proportion as the Corinthian, and retains the same general character, with the exception of the capital, in which the Ionic volutes and echinus are substituted for the Corinthian caulicole and scrolls. It is one of the five orders of classic archi- tecture, when five are admitted; but modern architects allow of only three, considering the Tuscan and the Composite as merely varieties of the Doric and Corin- thian. See Parker, Glossai-y of Architecture, s. \.; Elme, Diet, of the Fine Arts, s. v. See Architkcture.
Ordericus Vitai.is, a noted mediaeval English ec- clesiastical historian, was born at Attingesham, now Atcham, near Shrewsbury, in 1075. His parents were of Norman descent, and belonged to the nobility. But few particulars are extant regarding the life of Ordericus. From incidental notes in his own writings it appears that he was sent to France in his infancy, and there placed under monastic instruction. His first French home was in the abbey of Ouche, at Lisieux, in Normandy. In 1086 he received the tonsure, and changed his English name of Oi'dei'icus for that of Vitalis, using only the latter name himself; but custom has joined the two in writing of him. He devoted himself to study, and did not take priest's orders till 1107. He never quit the convent but three times: he once attended a chapter of the order; once went to England, visiting Worces- ter and Croyland ; and once went to Cambray — the last two visits being apparently for the purpose of procuring materials for his work, Historia Ecclesiastica. This history, which consists of thirteen volumes, is brought down to 1141, in which j'ear, or the succeeding one, it is most probable that Ordericus Vitalis died. The Ec- clesiastical History begins with the birth of Christ, and gives in two books a rapid summary, not always cor- rect, of the succession of the Koman emperors and popes. These two books were an after-thought, and are of no great value. It is with the third book that the interest of the work commences. The early history of the duke- dom of Normandy, with the collateral relations of France and Brittany, are given in minute detail. Then follows the narrative of the conquest of England. But by far the most valuable portion of the work is the last half of it, treating of the events of which Ordericus was a contemporary observer. The first edition of the Histo- ria Ecclesiastica was published by Duchesne, in his Hist. Norm. Script. Antlq. (Paris, 1019, fob). It has also been printed by the French Historical Societ)- (1840, 2 vols.), and was translated into French by Dubois (1825-27,4 vols.). An English translation was prepared and brought out bj' Forester in Bohn's A ntiquarian Li- brary (Loud. 18.53-54, 4 vols. 12mo). To the French edition of 1825-27 M. Guizot wrote an introduction, in
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which he says of the work : " No book contains so much I and such valuable information on the history of the 11th and r2th centuries; on the political state, both civil and religious, of society in the west of Europe ; and on the manners ofthe times, whether feudal, monastic, or popu- lar."' See Piper, Mommentul-Theuloffie, § 114 ; Wright, Biofj. Lit. (A.-N. Period) p. Ill sq.: AUibone, Diet, of Brit, and Amer. Authors, s. v. ; Lajipenberg, Gescli. von Englitnd, ii, 378-393 ; Cavc, Hist. Lit. ii, 220 ; Oudin, Comment, de Script. Eccles. ii, 200; and the sketches prefaced to the different editions of his works.
Orders, Holy, is an expression used to denote the sacred character or position jieculiar to mu;isters of the Christian religion, and to which they are admitted at the time of their ordination. See Oijdination. The following is the prelatical view of the subject : " It is evident unto all men diligently reading the Holy Script- ures and ancient authors that from the apostles' time there have been these orders of ministers in Christ's Church — bishops, priests, and deacons; which offices were evermore had in such reverend estimation that no man might presume to execute any of them except he were tirst called, tried, examined, and known to have such qualities as are requisite for the same ; and also by public prayer, with imposition of hands, were approved and admitted thereunto by lawful author- ity" (Preface to the Enylish Ordinal). In the ancient Church the (three) orders of ministry established by Christ and his apostles universally prevailed. But along with them there were gradually introduced into most of the churches other ecclesiastical persons of in- ferior rank, who were allowed to take part in the min- istrations of religion. The three belong to the sacred, or major orders; the others to the petty, or minor or- ders, the number of which varies in the different churches, and even at times in the same Church. In the Komish Church there are seven orders, including, in addition to the three sacred orders, doorkeeper, ex- orcist, reader, and acolyth. All these the Council of Trent enjoins to be received and believed on pain of anathema. The priesthood is the principal order, and is supposed to impress an indelible character on those who receive it. The origin of the inferior orders is ob- scure, and they are not mentioned before the days of Cyprian and of Tertullian; and, indeed, although some modern Romanists count five (including subdeacoiis), and sometimes have assigned mystical reasons for so doing, the number varied in different periods. The re- puted Ignatius (£):>. ad Antioch. 12) excludes acolyths, and yet, by adding singers and copiata\ swells the list to six; the constitutions bearing the name of Clemens Romanus (iii, 11) count but four — subdeacons, readers, singers, and doorkeepers. The Apostolical Canons, as they are called (Ixix), name only the first three; and, in a word, the number five is perhaps less selected than any other by the majority of ancient Church writers, whether authentic or pseudonymous. Their use in early times was to f(jrm a nursery for the regular clergy, and to assist in the performance of certain lower and ordinary offices, to which laymen, if authorized by the bishop, were equally competent. IMore than one council, indeed, prohibited those who had once em- barked even in this inferior ministry from returning to secular employments; nevertheless they were esteemed insacraii by the ancient canons. They did not receive any ordination at the altar, nor, for the most part, any imposition of hands. Rv the fifth canon of the fourth Council of Carthage, subdeacons, on tlieir appointment, were to receive an empty cup from the hands of the bishop, and a ewer and towel from the archdeacon — a ceremony implying their duties, namely, the prepara- tion of the sacred utensils for the service of the altar. But they were not allowed in any way to minister at the altar, to step within its rails, nor even to place the holy vessels upon it. So the duties of the acolyths were symbolized when tlio archdeacon presented them with a taper in a candlestick and an empty pitcher: