The life, describing service at sea from 1686 to 1714, was actually written by Martin’s son Stephen Martin-Leake, Garter King of Arms, as an appendix to his Life of Admiral Sir John Leake, whose follower, friend, flag-captain, brother-in-law, and heir Captain Martin successively became. In appendices are printed lists of the ships of the Navy in 1685 and 1699, a summary of the strength of the Navy in 1688-98, and some letters by Martin-Leake describing a visit to Portsmouth in 1728.