Henry Marten (1562 - 1641)

Descendants

Died 26 Sep 1641 at about age 79 in Bray, Berkshire, England

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Biography

There are conflicting accounts of Henry's parentage, but it is certain that he studied law and became a Fellow of New College, Oxford, in 1582. He was knighted in 1616, and elected MP for St Germans in 1625, and subsequently for Oxford University in 1628.^[1]

Although his legal career had benefited greatly from the patronage of King James I, his relationship with his successor King Charles I is less clear. His parliamentary record shows him strongly defending the independence of the ecclestiastical courts against royal interference; Bishop Laud of London was convinced that he was "a schismatical puritan in his bosom".^[2] His will nevertheless records that he lent the king a substantial sum of money.

When he wrote his will on 23 August 1641, he described himself as being of the City of London, a Knight, and a Judge of his Majesty's High Court of Admiralty and of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. His will mentions his house at Bray, on the Thames in East Berkshire, and property in Ashbury, Shrivenham, Longworth and Anvilles, all at the western end of Berkshire. He referred to the will of his late brother William Marten (of the city of Oxford)^[3], and made bequests to family members:

• son Henry Marten, principal heir and sole executor;
• son George Marten, and his daughter Frances Marten (a minor);
• daughter (Elizabeth) Edmonde and son(-in-law) Charles Edmonde, and their daughter Mary Edmonde;^[4]
• daughter (Mary) Rogers;^[5]
• grandchild Margaret Marten "my ward";
• niece Frances Marten "now serving me";
• kinsman William Pullen;

together with a number of servants, and bequests to the Vicar of Ashbury and the Parish of St Botolph, Aldersgate.

The will refers to the sum of £3000 which he had lent to the king and was due to be repaid on 29 September 1642. This sum was to be used for some of the bequests to relatives, but principally for the completion of 15 almshouses (10 in Shrivenham and 5 in Longworth), and also £350 for the "redemption of English captives out of Turkish slavery".

The will was proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in London on 15 October 1641 by his son Henry Marten, armiger.^[6]

His memorial in Longworth parish church names his three daughters Elizabeth, Jane and Mary.^[7]

Research Note

The profile of his son Henry Marten originally referred to a further daughter Agnes, for whom no evidence has been found.

Sources

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Marten_(politician)
2. ↑ http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/marten-sir-henry-1562-1641
3. ↑ Historical Manuscripts Commission, 'The manuscripts of Capt. F.C. Loder-Symonds', in The Manuscripts of Rye and Hereford Corporations, Etc. Thirteenth Report, Appendix: Part IV (London, 1892), pp. 378-404. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/hist-mss-comm/vol31/pt4/pp378-404 [accessed 16 March 2020].
4. ↑ Elizabeth Marten married Charles Edmonde 28 April 1624 at St John, Hackney: "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJPL-HXD : 10 February 2018), Charles Edmands and Elizabeth Marten, 28 Apr 1624; citing Saint John,Hackney,London,England, reference , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 569,925.
5. ↑ Mary Marten married Richard Rogers 20 Nov 1628 St Benet Pauls Wharf, London: "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NLQH-VM9 : 10 February 2018), Richard Rogers and Mary Mrs Marten, 20 Nov 1628; citing Saint Benet Pauls Wharf,London,London,England, reference , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 547,508, 574,439, 845,242.
6. ↑ Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Original data: The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 187 Ancestry uk Record 5111 #795605
7. ↑ 'Parishes: Hinton Waldrist', in A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 4, ed. William Page and P H Ditchfield (London, 1924), pp. 463-466. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol4/pp463-466, footnotes 37 and 39 (accessed 11 March 2020).

See also:

• Anthony Wood, "Sir Henry Marten" in Athenae Oxienses https://archive.org/stream/athenaeoxoniense03wooduoft#page/n15/mode/2up vol III, London, 1817
• Wikidata: Item Q10294929