Obs. Also 7 varre. [ad. Sp. vara VARA.]
1. = VARA.
1545. Rates of Customs, d iiij b. The Vares of Spayne:… ix. Vares makithe .viii. yardes Englysshe.
1588. Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 175. Certain peeces of blacke silke of twelue vares long a peece.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. I. 273. The other measure is called a vare,… which measure is of 5 palmes or spans, and is one code and two third parts.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. xi. 240. It extendes above foure score Varres or yardes in length.
2. A rod, staff or wand, esp. as a symbol of judicial office or authority.
1578. T. N., trans. Conq. W. India, 357. He tooke the Vares of Justice from the Judges and Sargeants, and incontinent restored them againe.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., I. III. xxxii. If an Alguazil … show him his Vare, that is a little white staffe he carryeth as badge of his office.
1660. F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., 48. Imposing my hand upon a Crosse held out to me upon the end of a Vare, or wand.
1681. Dryden, Abs. & Achit., 595. His Hand a Vare of Justice did uphold.
