Henry Marten

Son of Anth. Marten of London, Son of Will. Marten of Okyngham in Berks, by Margaret his second Wife, daugh. of John Yate of Lyford in the said County, was born in the Parish of S. Michael of Basinghaugh within the said City of London, educated in Wykeham’s School near Winchester, admitted true and perpetual Fellow of New Coll. in 1582, took the degrees in the Civil Law, that of Doctor being compleated in 1592, at which time he was an eminent Advocat at Doctors Commons, as afterwards in the High Commission Court. In 1595 he left his College, and became successively Judge of the Admiralty, twice Dean of the Arches, a Knight, and in 1624 Judge of the Prerogative in the place of Sir Will. Byrd deceased. In all which Offices and Employments he shew’d himself a most excellent Civilian, the best, for ought that I know, that ever appeared in our Horizon, and therefore highly venerated by all good and learned men. Towards his latter end he purchased a fair Estate, mostly lying in Berks, which his ungodly Son Harry squandred away. His Writings were many, and by some were thought very worthy of the press, but in whose hands they are now, or whether embezil’d with his Estate, I know not. All that I have seen are these:

Several speeches in Parliament. As (1) Speech at a general Committee of both houses, 22 May 1628. (2) Sp. as to the rational part of the matter of a Conference had by a Committee of both houses concerning Sovereigne Power, an. 1628. &c. In which Parliament Sir Henry was a Burgess for the University of Oxon.

Debates touching his Majesties Propositions, and the Duke of Buckingham &c. an. 1628.—See in Jo. Rushworths Collections, vol. 1. p. 521.617.

Several arguments and discourses in Parl.—See in a book entit. The Sovereigns prerogative and the Subjects privileges discussed, &c. 3 and 4 of K. Ch. 1. Lond. 1657. fol. p. 140 &c. p. 188. Besides other things among which is his Speech in Parl. concerning the petition of right. He paid his last debt to nature on the 26 of Sept. in sixteen hundred forty and one, aged 81,1641. and was buried in a Chappel joyning on the north side of the Chancel belonging to the Church of his mannour of Longworth near to Abendon in Berks. Over his grave, and that of his Wife, their son Harry Marten before mention’d, erected a comely monument, with an inscription thereon, the Contents of which, I shall now pass by for brevity sake.