Martyn came from an established London family: while his father’s name is not known, an uncle, Richard Martyn, was a liveryman of the Goldsmiths’ Company. John himself had joined the Fletchers’ company before 1559, and was elected one of its wardens in 1571. Martyn, who owned a country estate at Enfield, had clear aspirations towards gentility: when he came to make his will, he bequeathed to his uncle his ‘best’ sword – sadly without stipulating how many such accessories he possessed. His company was, nevertheless, important to him: he asked that the members of the livery should attend his funeral in their robes, and paid for a ‘recreation’ to be held by them in his memory.

He married, perhaps as his second wife, Magdalene, the daughter of John Fenne. They had at least three sons, John, Thomas and Samuel, ‘whose education’, as their practically-minded father stipulated, ‘I will to be in learning or at occupacion as they shalbe most apte’. Martyn made his will on 14 December 1575. One of its provisions stands out: he assigned to the wardens of the Fletchers £6 that they were to lend out in three portions of 40s. for terms of one year to three ‘poor and needy’ men of the company, and may thus be considered to be one of the founding fathers of the Fletchers’ Trust. Martyn died before 10 May 1576, when probate of his will was granted.

 (Sources: TNA, PROB11/58, ff. 59r-v; GL, MS 5977/2)