BURGESS LIST, AND BURGESS ROLL are lists made under the provisions of the muni cipal corporation act. 5 and 6 Will. IV. c. 76, amended by 20 and 21 Vict. c. 50, and 32 and 33 Viet. c. 55. The overseers of the poor of every parish wholly or in part within any borough, are directed to make out an alphabetical list, called the burgess list, of all persons who may be entitled or qualified to be enrolled on the burgess roll of that year, such list to be open for perusal by any person, without the payment of any fee, at all reasonable hours, between the 1st (when the list must be signed and delivered) and 15th days of Sept. in every year. This list is afterwards revised by the revising barrister, and the names of those persons allowed, on revision, to remain, arc then transferred to the burgess roll, which is copied into a general alphabetical list in a book provided for that purpose by the town-clerk or clerk of the peace, and which book must be completed on or before the 22d of Oct. in every year; every such book being the burgess roll of the burgesses entitled to vote for councilors, assessors, and auditors of the borough.
Copies of such burgess roll, so completed, shall be made in writing, or printed, for delivery and sale to all persons applying for the same, on payment of a reasonable price for each copy. There are other regulations respecting these lists, and with respect to neglect and informality in making up the burgess roll. Every person of full age, who occupies a house, warehouse, counting-house, shop, or other building within the bor ough for twelve months, and resident in or within seven miles, shall, if duly enrolled, be a burgess, 32 and 33 Viet. c. 55.
In regard to Scotland, it has been already explained (see BURGESS), that persons entitled to the privileges of burgesses must be admitted according to the old and councilors, before induction, may, by a minute of council, be made burgesses, 23 and 24 Vict. c. 47. But the list, which corresponds to the English burgess roll, is the list of municipal electors qualified according to the provisions of the 3 and 4 Will. IV. cc. 76, 77; 31 and 32 Vict. c. 108; and 33 and 34 Viet. c. 92, relating to royal burghs in Scotland.