Borthwick, William d. 1542, fourth Lord Borthwick, was the eldest son of the third Lord Borthwick and Maryota de Hope Pringle. He succeeded to the title on the death of his father at the battle of Flodden on 9 Sept. 1513. Immediately afterwards the council of the kingdom ordered the castle of Stirling to be victualled and fortified to receive the young king, James V. Lord Borthwick was to be captain and the king's guardian (Cal. State Papers, Henry VIII, vol. i. (1509-14) 4556). He set his seal to a treaty with England on 7 Oct. 1517 (Federa, xiii. 600). After the coronation of James V in 1524 he swore to be true to the king and disavow the Duke of Albany. He died in 1542. By his marriage to Margaret, eldest daughter of John Lord Hay of Yester, he had two sons and two daughters.

Sources:
     Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, ii. 654
     Cal. State Papers, Henry VIII.

Contributor: T. F. H. [Thomas Finlayson Henderson]

Published: 1885