Legal Definitions - verge

Verge is a historical term that has several meanings:

1. The area within 12 miles of the place where the king held his court and within which the king's peace was enforced. This area was commonly referred to as being in the verge. The verge got its name from the staff (called a “verge”) that the marshal bore.
2. The compass of the royal court, within which the lord steward and marshal of the king's household had special jurisdiction. This was also known as the Court of Verge.
3. The neighborhood of Whitehall, the section of London in which British government offices have traditionally been located.
4. An uncertain quantity of land from 15 to 30 acres.
5. A stick or rod by which a person, after holding the stick and swearing fealty, is admitted as a tenant to a copyhold estate. This is also spelled virge.

For example, if someone committed a crime within the verge, they would be subject to the king's justice. The verge was also where the king's court had special authority. In addition, the neighborhood of Whitehall is sometimes referred to as the verge because it is where many government offices are located. Finally, a virge was a symbol of fealty and was used to admit someone as a tenant to an estate.