Sir Roger Martyn (Lord Mayor of London 1567)

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.

Sir Roger Martyn was born in Long Melford, Suffolk, to Lawrence Martyn and Elizabeth Cheke.[5] Arms of "Sir Roger Martyn, Lord Mayor of London, 1567": Argent, on a chevron azure between three trefoils slipped per pale gules and vert as many bezants.[6]

His first wife was Lettice Martin (née Pakington) who died 23 December 1553; his second wife was Elizabeth Martyn (née Castlyn).[7]

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 (d.1576), Joan, who married Anthony Smith, and Anne, who married Sir Anthony Culpeper.[8][9]

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.[10] In his will, Sir Roger Martyn left the pair a total of 113 pounds, six shillings and eight pence to be spent on finery.[11] Also notable was his son, Humphrey Martyn, who was the addressee of the Langham Letter.[12]

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.[13]

Sir Roger Martyn died in 1573 and it is unknown of what he died; he was buried in the Church of Saint Anthony.[14] It is possible that his body was dug up and reburied in Brookwood Cemetery.