Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mollineux, Henry
MOLLINEUX, HENRY (d. 1719), quaker, born at Lydiate, near Ormskirk, Lancashire, was in 1684 imprisoned in Lancaster Castle for attending quakers' meetings. While in gaol he met Mary Southworth of Warrington, who was imprisoned on the same ground. He married her at Penketh, near Warrington, on 10 Feb. 1685, she being then thirty-four years old. Mollineux was sent to Lancaster Castle again in December 1690, on this occasion for non-payment of tithes, and after being detained several months was liberated through his wife's personal appeal to Bishop Stratford. He died at Lydiate on 16 Nov. 1719. He wrote several books in defence of quaker principles: 1. 'Antichrist Unvailed by the Finger of God's Power . . . ' 1695, 8vo. 2. ' An Invitation from the Spirit of Christ to all that are at hirst to come and drink of the Waters of Life freely . . . ' 1696, 12rno. 3. 'Popery exposed by its own Authors, and two Romish Champions checked . . . being an Answer ... to James Wetmough and Matthew Hall,' 1718, 8vo.
His wife died at Liverpool on 3 Nov. 1695, aged 44, leaving children. She was a facile writer of pious verse, a collection of which was published in 1702, under the title of 'Fruits of Retirement, or Miscellaneous Poems, Moral and Divine, &c.' It passed through, six editions, the last of which was printed in 1772.
[Joseph Smith's Cat. of Friends' Books, ii. 180; Besse's Sufferings of the Quakers, i. 327; Mary Mollineux's Poems; Roger Haydock's Writings, 1700; extracts from Lancashire Friends' Registers, kindly furnished by Mr. Jos. H. King, Manchester.]