Henry Mortlock (fl. 1660–1709)

MORTLOCK (HENRY), bookseller in London, (1) Phœnix in St. Paul's Churchyard; (2) White Hart in Westminster Hall 1660–1702. Chiefly a publisher of theological literature.

MORTLOCK, or MORTLACK (HENRY), bookseller in London, (i) Phoenix, in St. Paul's Churchyard; (2) White Hart, in Westminster Hall. 1660–1709. See Dictionary, 1641–67. The first of the above addresses was undoubtedly Henry Mortlock's principal place of business, as the stalls in Westminster Hall were only open during term time and were liable to be cleared away in the event of a State trial or other public function. Henry Mortlock is first met with as a publisher in the Term Catalogue of Easter 1670, when he advertised Phineas Fletcher's Father's Testament as on sale at the White Hart in Westminster Hall. [T.C. I. 29.] At this time he had a relative, G. Mortlock, in partnership with him, and a list of books sold by them at both their shops is found at the end of Joseph Glanvil's Essays, 1676. Dunton has [p. 286] the following note upon Henry Mortlock: "Mr. Mortlack has been Master of the Company of Stationers, and the most indefatigable shop-keeper I have known. He is very exact in trade. He was much assisted by the great Doctor Stillingfleet Bishop of Worcester, and printed [i.e. published] most of his works. He is now pretty much up in years, speaks slow, but speaks seldom in vain." He was one of the most prolific publishers of the time. The last entry under his name in the Term Catalogues is in 1709. [T.C. Ill. 356.] The date of his death is unknown. G. Mortlock was still in business in 1717, when he published Anthony Blackwall's Introduction to the Classics. [Nichols, Lit. Anecd. I. 133.] John Mortlock, of Nottingham and Newark (q.v.) was no doubt a relative.