The peace of the king; that is, the peace, good order, and security for life and property that is one of the objects of government to maintain, and which the king, as the personification of the power of the state, is supposed to guaranty to all persons within the protection of the law.

This term was also given in ancient times, to a certain privileged district or sanctuary. The pax regis, or verge of the court, as it was afterwards called, extended from the palace-gate to the distance of three miles, three furlongs, three acres, nine feet, nine palms, and nine barleycorns. [The verge or virge is from old English law and referred to the area of the royal court that bounded the jurisdiction of the lord steward of the household].