Henry Marten (politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Marten was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1625 and 1640.
, supposedly the son of Anthony Marten and his wife Anne Jacob, daughter of John Jacob of Bishops Stortford. His father was a merchant of London, originally from Wokingham
, Berkshire
. He was educated at Winchester School and matriculated at New College, Oxford
on 24 November 1581, aged 19. He became a fellow of the college in 1582 and studied civil and canon law. He graduated BCL in 1587 and DCL in 1592, and was admitted a member of the College of Advocates on 16 October 1596. He developed a large practice as a barrister
in the admiralty, prerogative, and high commission courts, and was appointed official of the archdeaconry of Berkshire.
Marten was made King's advocate on 3 March 1609 and in March 1613 was sent abroad in connection with the marriage settlement of the Lady Elizabeth. In 1616, he was made chancellor of the diocese of London. He was knighted at Theobalds on 21 December 1616. and in 1617 became a judge
of the admiralty court. Later he was appointed a member of the court of high commission and dean of the arches. Marten started investing in land in Berkshire
buying firstly property at West Challow in the Vale of the White Horse, secondly Longworth House
at Longworth
which he bought for £9,500 in 1618, and thirdly Hinton Waldrist Manor.
In 1625 Marten was elected Member of Parliament
for St Germans
and supported Sir John Eliot
in attacking the Duke of Buckingham. His tone was described as studiously moderate. While parliament was prorogued in 1626, he was involved in the committal of Sir Robert Howard by the high commission, and when he was re-elected MP for St Germans in 1626, an attempt was made to exclude him because of the case. He pleaded ignorance of the distinction between prorogation and dissolution and was allowed to take his seat. In 1628 he was elected MP for Oxford University
, taking part in the debates on the Petition of Right
and sitting until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.
In April 1640, Marten was elected MP for St Ives
in the Short Parliament
. He did not stand for the Long Parliament
which fined him £250 for his part in the case of Sir Robert Howard.
Marten died in 1641 and was buried at Longworth Church.
Marten married Elizabeth Weld and had two sons and three daughters. He was father of the regicide
, Henry Marten
.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
at various times between 1625 and 1640.
Life
Sir Henry was probably born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, supposedly the son of Anthony Marten and his wife Anne Jacob, daughter of John Jacob of Bishops Stortford. His father was a merchant of London, originally from Wokingham
Wokingham
Wokingham is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire in South East England about west of central London. It is about east-southeast of Reading and west of Bracknell. It spans an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 30,403...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. He was educated at Winchester School and matriculated at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
on 24 November 1581, aged 19. He became a fellow of the college in 1582 and studied civil and canon law. He graduated BCL in 1587 and DCL in 1592, and was admitted a member of the College of Advocates on 16 October 1596. He developed a large practice as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in the admiralty, prerogative, and high commission courts, and was appointed official of the archdeaconry of Berkshire.
Marten was made King's advocate on 3 March 1609 and in March 1613 was sent abroad in connection with the marriage settlement of the Lady Elizabeth. In 1616, he was made chancellor of the diocese of London. He was knighted at Theobalds on 21 December 1616. and in 1617 became a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the admiralty court. Later he was appointed a member of the court of high commission and dean of the arches. Marten started investing in land in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
buying firstly property at West Challow in the Vale of the White Horse, secondly Longworth House
Longworth House
Longworth House is an historic country house at Longworth in the English county of Oxfordshire .It was owned by the Marten family during the 16th and 17th centuries. Former residents include Sir Henry Marten, Judge of the Admiralty Court....
at Longworth
Longworth
Longworth is a village and civil parish about west of Abingdon and a similar distance east of Faringdon and south of Witney. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire...
which he bought for £9,500 in 1618, and thirdly Hinton Waldrist Manor.
In 1625 Marten was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for St Germans
St Germans (UK Parliament constituency)
St Germans was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
and supported Sir John Eliot
John Eliot (statesman)
Sir John Eliot was an English statesman who was serially imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he eventually died, by King Charles I for advocating the rights and privileges of Parliament.-Family and early life:...
in attacking the Duke of Buckingham. His tone was described as studiously moderate. While parliament was prorogued in 1626, he was involved in the committal of Sir Robert Howard by the high commission, and when he was re-elected MP for St Germans in 1626, an attempt was made to exclude him because of the case. He pleaded ignorance of the distinction between prorogation and dissolution and was allowed to take his seat. In 1628 he was elected MP for Oxford University
Oxford University (UK Parliament constituency)
Oxford University was a university constituency electing two members to the British House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950.-Boundaries, Electorate and Electoral System:...
, taking part in the debates on the Petition of Right
Petition of right
In English law, a petition of right was a remedy available to subjects to recover property from the Crown.Before the Crown Proceedings Act 1947, the British Crown could not be sued in contract...
and sitting until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.
In April 1640, Marten was elected MP for St Ives
St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)
St. Ives is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
. He did not stand for the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
which fined him £250 for his part in the case of Sir Robert Howard.
Marten died in 1641 and was buried at Longworth Church.
Marten married Elizabeth Weld and had two sons and three daughters. He was father of the regicide
Regicide
The broad definition of regicide is the deliberate killing of a monarch, or the person responsible for the killing of a monarch. In a narrower sense, in the British tradition, it refers to the judicial execution of a king after a trial...
, Henry Marten
Henry Marten (regicide)
Sir Henry Marten was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1640 and 1653...
.