borough-English, a custom of inheritance in parts of England whereby land passed typically to the youngest son in preference to his older brothers. Of Anglo-Saxon origin, the custom was abolished by law in 1925. For alternative systems of inheritance in England see gavelkind and primogeniture.

borough: see city government; county.

Borough, William, 1536-99, British naval officer. A younger brother of Stephen Borough, William accompanied him on early voyages and was himself a captain for the Muscovy Company. As a naval officer he took part in Sir Francis Drake's attack on Cádiz (1587) and also fought against the Spanish Armada (1588). He wrote accounts of his voyages and a treatise on the variation of the compass and compiled several charts.

Borough, Stephen, 1525-84, English navigator. Under the direction of Richard Chancellor he was master of the Edward Bonaventure, the first ship to round (1553) North Cape and reach Russia by the arctic route, and the only ship to return safely from the expedition. Thereupon, Sebastian Cabot and others who had fostered the plan formed the Muscovy Company, establishing a profitable trade with Russia. Sailing again for that company, this time in the Searchthrift, Borough in a voyage of 1556-57 reached Novaya Zemlya and discovered the strait south of it leading to the Kara Sea.