Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Colville, William
COLVILLE or COLVILL, WILLIAM (d. 1675), principal of Edinburgh University, was the son of Robert Colvill of Cleish, and studied at the university of St. Andrews, where he graduated in 1617. He was elected second minister of Trinity College in 1635, elected to the second charge of Greyfriars in January 1638, and translated to the Tron Church in January 1639. In the same year he was sent by the covenanters to the king of France to solicit aid against the despotic proceedings of Charles I, but in travelling through England had his papers seized and was incarcerated till the victory of Newburn gained him his release in August 1640. In December 1641 he was removed to the Tron Church. He was suspended by the assembly in July 1648 and deposed in 1649 for 'favouring the unlawful engagement.' He then was for some time minister of the English church at Utrecht. In 1652 he was elected principal of the university of Edinburgh, but, having been carried prisoner to the castle for praying for Charles II, was not permitted by the government of Cromwell to take possession of the office, which was declared vacant on 17 Jan. 1653. He, however, received a year's stipend, in consideration of his having demitted his charge in Holland. In 1654 he was reponed by the assembly and became minister of Perth. On Leighton's resignation in 1662 he was again appointed principal of the university. He was the author of a work entitled 'Ethica Christiana' and of sermons on the ' Righteous Branch.' He died in 1675.
[Scott's Fasti Eccles. Scot. i. 55, 133; Wodrow's Analecta; Robert Baillie's Letters and Journals, i. 362, ii. 85, 463, iii. 19-21, 34, 41, 63, 64, 92, 96, 105, 184, 284, 468, 522, 545; Histories of the University of Edinburgh by Bower and Grant.]