C16th and C17th Nassau - Social History

[mike1979]

Hi All
This is a follow on question to an earlier query I had.
I have ancestors in the Nassau area (specifically the towns of Seck, Elsoff/Mittelhofen and Hellenhahn) in the early C17th.  There are birth records in the parish registers for;
1.  Johannes SCHILLING b1643 in Hellenhahn son of Jakob who was a Schultheiss (I think a village mayor or sherrif) Roman Catholic
2.  Margarethae SCHILLING b1646 in Seck daughter of Johannes who was a Herrschaftlicher Burgermeister (a mayor appointed by the Count?) also Roman Catholic
Im interested in these occupations as town mayors or sherrifs and what they meant.
There is also a 'serf census' of the area in 1603 (so just 40 ish years before the births above) where the only 'SCHILLING' mentioned is a Ludwig SCHILLING of Hellenhahn.
Im interested to learn more about the social history of these places and time.  Would people with the 'mayoral' job titles have been serfs or likely to be descended in two generations from a serf (i.e. is it likely that Ludwig who appeard on the serf census would be an ancestor of the later mayors of the town?)?
If anyone has any expertise in this area or can point to any good reference resources I'd be very grateful.
Kind regards
Mike