Burgess:
- American History. a representative in the popular branch of the colonial legislature of Virginia or Maryland.
- (formerly) a representative of a borough in the British Parliament.
- Rare. an inhabitant of an English borough. [Dictionary.com]
From “Jamestown Archaeologists Discover 400-Year-Old Burial,” Paula Neely, american archaeology (fall 2018, print-only):
The grave was in the choir section of a wooden church built in 1617, in the center aisle between benches where representatives from the burgesses would have sat, said David Givens, directory of archaeology for Jamestown Rediscovery. It was a special location just below the altar that would have been reserved for a prominent individual.
