Henry Martyn, of the parish of 'S. Michael in Basingeshall,' London,
was adm. probationer of New College, Aug. 19, 1580, and Fellow July 6,
1582; vacated his fellowship in 1595. He was Judge of the Admiralty,
Dean of the Arches, and Judge of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
Aubrey (MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 12ᵛ) gives for his coat, 'argent, 2 bars
gules, each charged with 3 besants.'
=Henry Martin= (1602-1680).
[157]Henry Martin, esq., son and heir of Sir Henry Martin, knight,
Judge of the Arches, was borne at <Oxford>.
Henry, the son, was of the university of <Oxford[158]>; travelled
France, but never Italie. His father found out a rich wife for him,
whom he married something unwillingly. He was a great lover of pretty
girles, to whom he was so liberall that he spent the greatest part of
his estate.
When he had found out a maried woman[159] that he liked (and he had his
emissaries, male and female, to looke out) he would contrive such or
such a good bargain, 20 or 30 _li._ per annum under rent, to have her
neer him. He lived from his wife a long time. If I am not mistaken shee
was sometime distempered by his unkindnesse to her.
King Charles I had complaint against him for his wenching. It happened
that Henry was in Hyde-parke one time when his majestie was there,
goeing to see a race. The king espied him, and sayd aloud, 'Let that
ugly rascall be gonne out of the parke, that whore-master, or els I
will not see the sport.' So Henry went away patiently, _sed manebat
alta mente repostum_. That sarcasme raysed the whole countie of Berks
against him[160]: he[161] was as far from a Puritane as light from
darknesse. Shortly after[162], (1641) he was chosen knight of the shire
of that county, _nemine contradicente_, and proved a deadly enemy to
the king.
He was a great and faithfull lover of his countrey, and never gott
a farthing by the Parliament. He was of an incomparable witt for
reparte's; not at all covetous; humble, not at all arrogant, as most of
them were; a great cultor of justice, and did always in the house take
the part of the oppressed.
Anno 1660 he was obnoxious for having been one of the late king's
judges, and he was in very great danger to have suffred as the others
did (he pleaded only the king's Act or Proclamation at Breda, which
he shewd in his hand), but (as he was a witt himselfe) so the lord
Falkland saved his life by witt, saying, 'Gentlemen, yee talke here
of makeing a sacrifice; it was the old lawe[163], all sacrifices were
to be without spott or blemish; and now you are going to make an old
rotten rascall a sacrifice.' This witt tooke in the house, and saved
his life.
He was first a prisoner at the Tower; then at Windsore (removed from
thence because he was an eie-sore to his majestie etc.); from thence
to Chepstowe, where he is now (1680). During his imprisonment his wife
relieved him out of her joincture, but she dyed....
His stature was but midling; his habit moderate; his face not good. Sir
Edward Baynton was wont to say that his company was incomparable, but
that he would be drunke too soon.
His speeches in the house were not long, but wondrous poynant,
pertinent, and witty. He was exceeding happy in apt instances. He alone
haz sometimes turned the whole house. Makeing an invective speech one
time against old Sir Henry Vane, when he had don with him, <he> said,
_But for young Sir Harry Vane_----and so sate him downe. Severall cryed
out--'What have you to say to young Sir Harry?' He rises up: _Why! if
young Sir Harry lives to be old; he will be old Sir Harry!_ and so sate
downe, and set[164] the house a laughing, as he oftentimes did.--Oliver
Cromwell once in the house called him, jestingly or scoffingly, '_Sir_
Harry Martin.' H. M. rises and bowes, 'I thanke _your majestie_, I
alwayes thought when you were _king_, that I should be knighted.'--A
godly member made a motion to have all profane and unsanctified persons
expelled the Houses. H. M. stood up and moved that all the fooles
might be putt out likewise, and then there would be a thin house.--He
was wont to sleep much in the house (at least dog-sleepe): alderman
Atkins made a motion that such scandalous members as slept and minded
not the businesse of the house, should be putt-out. H. M. starts
up--'Mr. Speaker, a motion has been to turne out the _Nodders_; I
desire the _Noddees_ may also be turnd out.'--H. M. sayd that he had
'seen the Scripture fulfilld--Thou hast exalted the humble and meeke;
thou hast filled the emptie with ... things, and the rich hast thou
sent emptie away.'--See a pretty speech of his in print about the
comeing in of the Scotts to assist and direct us.
[165]Henry Martyn made the motion in the house to call the _addressers_
to account (viz. those that addressed to Richard Cromwell, Protector,
to stand by him with their lives and fortunes), and that all the
addressers that were of it (of the house) might be turnd[166] out as
enemies to the commonwealth of England and betrayers of their trust to
bring in government by a single person. Had not Dick Cromwell sneak't
away, then it is certaine that the Rump would have cutt-off his head,
as I am well assurd from a deare friend[167] of mine.
Memorandum that Dr. <John> Wilkins (who[168] maried his[169] aunt) was
very instrumentall in perswading persons of quality and corporations to
addresse: but what did it signifie?