William Borthwick, 2nd Lord Borthwick

Who was William Borthwick, 2nd Lord Borthwick?

William Borthwick, 2nd Lord Borthwick was a Scottish ambassador to England.

The son of William Borthwick, 1st Lord Borthwick, he served as ambassador to England on 13 July 1459, where he is included in a Safe-conduct of that date as "William lord Borthwik" with numerous other nobles, clerics, and a retinue of "200 attendants". On 11 April 1464 he was, with other senior peers, commissioned by King James to negotiate with the ambassadors of King Edward IV of England to conclude the treaty of York.

He sat in parliament on 9 October 1466 and 14 October 1467, 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.

It is reckoned to be the second Lord recorded as "William lord Bortwic" in an English Safe-conduct, with several clerics and other nobles, and a retinue of 400 persons, to travel to England as "ambassadors and commissioners of the King of Scots coming to treat with the English commissioners", dated 7 August 1471, and had another Safe-conduct as Scottish ambassador on 24 August 1478.

He married Beatrice Sinclair, daughter of Henry Sinclair, 1st Earl of Orkney. His son and heir Sir William de Borthwick, Knt, appears as defender in an action of debt on 4 July 1476, when judgement was given against him. They appeared again together in an action on 16 October 1479, and had a judgement in their favour.