Sir Roger Martyn (Lord Mayor of London 1567)
Sir Roger Martyn (or Martin) was a mercer and Lord Mayor of London in 1567; he was also Sheriff of London in 1559.[1]
The Examination of the Puritan Plumbers' Hall Congregation.
Due to his position as Lord Mayor of London in 1567, Sir Roger Martyn was present in his role as a high commissioner in the examination of a group of Puritans who had been accused of holding a conventicle in the Plumbers' Hall in June 1567.[2] Also present at the examination were the Bishop of London, and Dean of Westminster. Also notably present at the examination was Edmund Bonner, an ex-bishop of London noted for his cruel treatment of protestants during Queen Mary's reign.[3] The document which tells us about the examination 'is the earliest surviving Puritan text of its kind and is a rare example of how the High Commission conducted an examination.'[4] As a document it is revealing about the Vestments Controversy.
Family
Sir Roger Martyn was born in Long Melford, Suffolk, to Lawrence Martyn and Elizabeth Martyn (née Cheke).[5]
His first wife was Lettice Martin (née Pakington) who died 23 December 1553; his second wife was Elizabeth Martyn (née Castlyn).[6]
Sir Roger Martyn had four children with his first wife; Humphrey, who married Alice Pullison, Edmund, who married Frances Martyn, Martha, who married John Castlyn, and Susan who married Robert Bye; with his second wife he had three children: Mary, who married Alexander Denton, Joan, who married Anthony Smith, and Anne, who married Sir Anthony Culpeper.[7][8]
Notable amongst Sir Roger Martyn's children was his daughter, Mary Martin; she was married to Alexander Denton in 1573 at the age of 15 and painted by George Gower to commemorate her marriage; the painting can still be seen today.[9] In his will, Sir Roger Martyn left the pair a total of 113 pounds, six shillings and eight pence to be spent on finery.[10] Also notable was his son, Humphrey Martyn, who was the addressee of the Langham Letter.[11]
Sir Roger Martyn's will was witnessed by Thomas Knowles, his Son-in-Law (possibly a child his wife had given birth to before she was married to him), and overseers of his will were appointed as Robert Bye and John Castlyn, also Sons-in-Law, John Castlyn was the brother of Elizabeth Martyn, his wife, as well as being married to his daughter Martha Martyn, making him both a Son-in-Law and a Brother-in-Law to Sir Roger.[12]
Death
Sir Roger Martyn died in 1573 and it is unknown of what he died; he was buried in the Church of Saint Anthony.[13] It is possible that his body was dug up and reburied in Brookwood Cemetery.
References
- ^ Jones, Robert Tudur; Dix, Kenneth; Ruston, Alan (2007-01-01). Protestant Nonconformist Texts: 1550 to 1700. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 9780754638643.
- ^ Jones, Robert Tudur; Dix, Kenneth; Ruston, Alan (2007-01-01). Protestant Nonconformist Texts: 1550 to 1700. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 9780754638643.
- ^ Jones, Robert Tudur; Dix, Kenneth; Ruston, Alan (2007-01-01). Protestant Nonconformist Texts: 1550 to 1700. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 9780754638643.
- ^ Jones, Robert Tudur; Dix, Kenneth; Ruston, Alan (2007-01-01). Protestant Nonconformist Texts: 1550 to 1700. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 9780754638643.
- ^ "Last Will and Testament of Sir Roger Martyn" (PDF). Retrieved December 23, 2016.
- ^ "Last Will and Testament of Sir Roger Martyn" (PDF). Retrieved December 23, 2016.
- ^ "Last Will and Testament of Sir Roger Martyn" (PDF). Retrieved December 23, 2016.
- ^ "Last Will and Testament of Edmund Martyn" (PDF). Retrieved December 23, 2016.
- ^ "Mary Denton, Nee Martyn, Aged 15 in 1573 Giclee Print by George Gower at Art.co.uk". art.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-12-23.
- ^ "Last Will and Testament of Sir Roger Martyn" (PDF). Retrieved December 23, 2016.
- ^ "The Last Will and Testament of Sir Roger Martyn" (PDF). Retrieved December 23, 2016.
- ^ "Last Will and Testament of Sir Roger Martyn" (PDF). Retrieved December 23, 2016.
- ^ Jones, Robert Tudur; Dix, Kenneth; Ruston, Alan (2007-01-01). Protestant Nonconformist Texts: 1550 to 1700. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 9780754638643.