In Roman law. A rod or wand; and, from the use of that instruhient in their course, various legal acts came to be distinguished by the term; e. g., one of the three ancient modes of manumission waa by the vindicta; also the rod or wand lnter-vened in the progress of the old action of vindicatio, whence the name of that action. Brown
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)