Legal Definitions - virge

Definition: Virge is another spelling of the word verge. Verge refers to:

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 is 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.

For example, if someone committed a crime within the verge, they would be subject to the king's justice. The verge was also the area where the king's court had special jurisdiction. In addition, the term "virge" can refer to the stick or rod used in a ceremony to admit someone as a tenant to a copyhold estate.