[1] Richard Martyn's birth is estimated at c. 1534 on the basis of his age given as 28 in a portrait medallion by Steven van Herwijk dated 1562.
He supplied metal of specified fineness for gold coins to John Lovyson (Lawinson or Lonison), Master of the Tower Mint in 1577.
Which Martin they do not find to have done any Thing in this Controversy thereby to have any particular Gain to himself; but the whole Matters alleged by him to have tended to her Majesty's Service; and for discharging of his Duty belonging to the Office.
[10] Martin supplied silver plate to the queen's privy kitchen in 1583, including a great standing cup gilt, with a cover, the body garnished with "sundry vermin as snakes ewetes (newts) frogs and others", and laid with colours, the cover garnished with sundry men and beasts hunting with a stag at the top.
[12] In 1589 Martin supplied silver plate, silks, and other goods to the value of £2,000 which Elizabeth gave to James VI of Scotland for the reception of Anne of Denmark.
[13] James VI took some of this silver plate to Oslo and presented it to the Danish councillors Steen Brahe and Axel Gyldenstierne.
[21] Both Martins were active in radical religious causes including the Admonition Controversy, part of an effort to encourage the queen to further reform Protestantism in England.
Martin discovered that Edmund Williamson ran a kind of pawnbroking business from his house, obtaining luxury goods from young men for small sums, less than their worth.
Martin was briefly imprisoned for debt,[10] which led to his removal from his Aldermanry on 31 August 1602 on account of his "unfitting demeanour and carriage".