He was probably the son of John Fullerton, and is thought to have been educated either by
Andrew Melville at the
University of St Andrews or at
Glasgow University. Fullerton acted as a diplomat or envoy for
James VI of Scotland. James VI is said to have sent a sapphire ring to
Philadelphia Scrope, a lady in waiting to
Elizabeth I, with Sir James Fullerton to be used as a token of Elizabeth's death. The ring was duly carried back to Scotland by
Robert Carey. According to the historian
Thomas Birch, Fullerton was involved with
James Hamilton in the
secret correspondence of James VI, carrying letters from English courtiers who worshipped James "as the rising sun". Although evidence for Fullerton's early career may be doubtful and slight, James VI certainly bought diamond rings for the use of his diplomats, including one for
David Foulis in July 1595, "to be employed as we have given direction" as a gift in London. Known as "a Scotch gentleman of great learning and very great worth", in 1611 Fullerton was proposed for a leading role in the household of
Charles I of England (then known as the
Duke of York), and summoned from Dublin where he is said to have been involved in the education of
James Ussher at Dublin Free School, and was Clerk of the Cheque of the Army in Ireland, and in 1610 a commissioner at the conference of deputies for the
Plantation of Ulster.
Prince Henry supported his appointment, but the role was given to
Robert Carey after the
Earl of Suffolk spoke to the King in his favour. Fullerton was given other employments, and was a surveyor of Prince Henry's estates, valuing the income from his lands. Fullerton was appointed to serve Prince Charles in other roles in 1611, from 1611 to 1616, When Prince Henry died in 1612, Fullerton briefly held another courtier,
Sir Robert Kerr, under arrest when Kerr and
Henry Gibb were suspected of disposing of the Prince's papers. Fullerton was involved in appointments to the household of Prince Charles in 1613 including the retention of many old servants of Henry, and the appointment of
George Carleton as a tutor and chaplain. He was made
Groom of the Stool in 1616, when Charles became Prince of Wales, a position he retained until his death when Charles became king. In 1623, he helped select jewels for
Lord Compton to carry to Spain during the "
Spanish Match". He competed unsuccessfully for the post of
Provost of
Eton after the death of
Thomas Murray. In 1625, he was elected to Parliament for
St Mawes constituency. In 1616, at
Abbots Langley, he married Magdalene Clerk Bruce, Baroness Kinloss, widow of
Edward Bruce, 1st Lord Kinloss, a daughter of a
Provost of Edinburgh,
Alexander Clark of Balbirnie. He died in December 1630 or January 1631. He left his property, including leases of lead mines, and the manor of
Byfleet to his wife. The antiquarian
John Aubrey wrote that Fullerton completed a
house at Byfleet which
Anne of Denmark had started to build, a "noble house of brick". Fullerton was buried in
Westminster Abbey. ==References==