Alexander Colville

Alexander Colville (1595–1666) was a senior Church of Scotland minister who served both as Principal of St Andrews University and was a professor at the University of Sedan in France. Of aristocratic birth, he declined his "de jure" title of Lord Culross. Life He was born at Wester Comrie, Scotland, the eldest son of John Colville, Commendator of Culross, who at some point became Lord of Culross. His mother was the poet Elizabeth Melville, daughter of Sir James Melville of Halhill. He was educated for ministry in the Church of Scotland, and around 1635, he obtained a post as Professor of Theology and Hebrew at the University of Sedan in France. In 1647 he adopted the Chair of Divinity at St Mary's College, St Andrews. In 1648, Edinburgh town council offered him the Chair of Divinity at Edinburgh University, but the General assembly refused the move. The council then chose Samuel Rutherford, but he declined the post. The position was eventually filled by David Dickson in 1650.