burgess-ship
(ˈbɜːdʒɪsʃɪp)
[see -ship.]
1. The status and privileges of a burgess; the ‘freedom’ of a borough, citizenship.
| 1467 Eng. Gilds 390 That no prentice haue his freedom of Burgesshippe. 1580 North Plutarch 971 To some [of the Towns] he gave the right of Burgesship of Rome. 1662 Pepys Diary 30 Apr., The Mayor and burgesses did desire my acceptance of a burgess-ship. 1752 Carte Hist. Eng. III. 333 A right of burgessship in that place. 1873 Morley Rousseau I. 9 The position of burgess-ship. |
b. fig. a rendering of πολίτευµα in Phil. iii. 20.
| 1612 R. Carpenter Soules Sent. 91 Your Burgeship is in heauen. 1656 Trapp Comm. Phil. iii. 20 Our civil conversation, or our burgess-ship, while we live by heaven's laws. |
† 2. ? The position of ‘burgess’ or member of parliament for a borough. Obs.
| 1673 Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.) Wks. (1705) II. 71 In the Election of his Lordship to the same Burgesship before. 1695 in Sir J. Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 261 A vacancy was then here in the said Burgesship. |