James Colville was the son of James Colville of East Wemyss and Janet Douglas, a daughter of Robert Douglas of Lochleven and Margaret Erskine. Before becoming Lord Colville, he was known as the "Laird of East Wemyss", and often simply as the "Laird of Wemyss". He was a distinguished soldier who fought in France for Henry, Prince of Navarre, later King Henry IV. He returned to Scotland in 1582 along with Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell, loaded down with commendations from his French patrons. He was involved in the Ruthven raid, on 22 August of that year. Colville owned a ship, the Good Company which was robbed by pirates at Great Yarmouth in June 1583. The master of the boat, James Cowan, was tortured to reveal the wherabouts of any money. Their sails of new French canvas were taken, and their cargo of Flemish tables and timber beds worth £200 Scots was thrown in the sea. Colville was at that time ambassador in London with Colonel William Stewart. He sent his goods and purchases back to Scotland in a ship from Prestonpans which was also robbed by pirates. In April 1594, with Edward Bruce, he was sent to London as an ambassador. They were to invite Queen Elizabeth to send a representative to the baptism of Prince Henry, discuss the matter of the Earl of Bothwell, Catholics in Scotland, and ask for the yearly sum of money that Elizabeth gave to James VI. They were to ensure the money was paid to Thomas Foulis. James VI gave Edward Bruce £1,000 Scots for their expenses. Colville was to continue to France, and invite Henry IV to send a representative to the christening, investigate the debts and revenues of Mary, Queen of Scots, and if necessary help to bring peace in France with James's cousins, the Dukes of Guise and Mayenne. After James VI of Scotland came to the English throne in 1603, Colville was one of James's main supporters in the Jacobean debate on the Union.
Family
His first marriage was in 1570 to Isabel Ruthven, daughter of Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven, with whom he had five children. His eldest son, Robert, Master of Colville married Christian Colville, a daughter of George Bruce of Carnock. In 1599 he remarried Helen Schaw, niece of William Schaw, an event which caused a feud with Francis Mowbray, brother of Helen's dead husband, Robert Mowbray. They had a further child together. Calvin's case, the leading legal test of the status of citizenship after the 1603 union of the crowns of England and Scotland, was at least notionally concerned with the legal rights of Colville's young grandson James.
