William Borthwick, 2nd Lord Borthwick (died between 6 October 1483 and 7 February 1484) was a Scottish landowner and ambassador to England.[1]
He was a son of William Borthwick, 1st Lord Borthwick. Borthwick served as ambassador to England in 1459, his name was included in a safe-conduct or passport of 13 July as "William lord Borthwik" to travel to Newcastle with numerous other nobles, clerics, and a retinue of 200 attendants.[2] On 11 April 1464 he was, with other senior peers, commissioned by James III of Scotland to negotiate with the ambassadors of Edward IV of England to conclude the treaty of York.[3]
He sat in parliament on 9 October 1466 and 14 October 1467,[4] and in several subsequent parliaments until his death. Lord Borthwick was one of the Lords of the Articles pro baronibus, in the parliament that sat at Edinburgh on 4 October 1479.[5]
In August 1471 he received a safe-conduct with several clerics and other nobles, and a retinue of 400 persons, allowing travel to England as "ambassadors and commissioners of the King of Scots coming to treat with the English commissioners".[6] He was named in another safe-conduct as a Scottish ambassador on 24 August 1478.
His son and heir William Borthwick, appears as defender in a legal case, an action of debt on 4 July 1476. Judgement was given against him. Father and son appeared again together in an action on 16 October 1479, and had a judgement in their favour.[7]
Alexander Nisbet, a writer on heraldic matters, published a 1484 charter referring to this Lord Borthwick and his spouse Margaret Hoppringle.[8] They are said to have married in 1458 leaving issue, their son and heir William Borthwick, 3rd Lord Borthwick.[9]