Burrough, Borow, or Burgh (Saxon beorg), is a term frequently used for a town or corporation which is not a city. A borough is by some supposed to have primarily meant a tithing or company consisting of ten families, who were bound and combined together as sureties for one another. Afterwards, as Verstegan informs us, borough came to signify a town that had something of a wall or enclosure about it; so that all places which amongst our ancestors had the denomination of borough, were one way or other fenced or fortified. But in latter times this appellation was also bestowed on several of the ville insigniores, or country towns of more than ordinary note, though not walled. The ancient Saxons, according to Spelman, gave the name of burghs to what in other countries were called cities. But different canons being made for removing the episcopal sees from villages and small towns to the chief cities, the term city came to be attributed to episcopal towns, whilst that of borough included all the rest, even although they had the appearance of cities, as being governed by mayors, having bye-laws of their own making, sending representatives to parliament, and being fortified with a wall and castle, and the like.

Royal Boroughs or Burghs, in Scotland, are corporations originally created for the advantage of trade, in virtue of charters granted by several of the kings, and having the privilege of sending commissioners to represent them in parliament, besides other peculiar privileges. The royal burghs are not only so many distinct corporations, but also constitute one entire body, governed by, and accountable to, a general court, anciently called the court of four boroughs, which was held yearly, to treat and determine concerning matters relating to the common interest. The four burghs which composed this court were, Edinburgh, Stirling, Roxburgh, and Berwick; but the last two falling into the hands of the English, Linlithgow and Lanark were substituted in their room, with a saving to the former whenever they should return to their allegiance. But this court not being sufficient to answer the necessities of the royal burghs, they were all empowered under James III., in 1487, to send commissioners to a yearly convention of their own, which was then appointed to be held at Inverkeithing, but is now held at Edinburgh, under the denomination of the Convention of Royal Burghs, which was vested with great powers, and had for its object the benefit of trade, and the interest of the burghs generally. See Municipal Corporations.

Borough-English, a customary descent of lands or tenements, in some ancient boroughs and copyhold manors, by which the youngest son, and not the eldest, succeeded to the burgage tenement on the death of his father.

Boroughs, Representation of. See Parliament.