I'igure 9. — Frknch horn dated 1 7jy. Mcrci-r pur- 

 chased a "frcnch horn" like this from Charles Dick 

 in 1743. (LSNM 95.269.) 



his wife. In 1750 he received 88 gallons of molasses 

 and 255 pounds of "niuscovy sugar" from Robert 

 Todd. Musco\y sugar was the same as "muscavado" 

 sugar, the unrefined brown sugar of the West Indies, 

 known in Spanish as mascahado. 



Beverages and the fruits to go with them w-crc 

 boucht in astonishing quantities between 1744 and 

 1750. Major Robert Tucker, a Norfolk merchant, 

 exchanged a "Pipe of Wine" worth £26 and a I07)j- 

 gallon hogshead of ruin \alued at £22 in return for 

 Mercer's legal ser\'ices. Again as a legal fee, Mercer 

 received 55 gallons of ".Syder" from Janet Holbrook 

 of Stafford and bought 1 1 limes from John Mitchelson 

 of \ovV. for 12 shillings. From Willi;im Black he 

 purchased "11 dozen and II bottles of Ale" at 13 

 shillinus, and from John Harsxy "5'i; dozen of 

 CMaret" for £11 6d. "Mark Talbott of the Kingdom 

 of Ireland E"^" sold Mercer a pipe of wine for £3 3s. 



LIFE OF THE CHILDREN 



During the 1 74U"s Mercer's first four survivint; 

 children, George, John Fenton, James, and Sarah 

 Ann Mason Mercer,"' were growing up, and the 

 accounts are scattered through with items pertainint; 

 to their care and upbringing. There arc delightful 

 little hints of Mercer's role as the afTectionate father. 

 On May 17, 1743, "By Sundiy Toys" ajipeais in 

 Hunter's account: ait item of"! horses I**" in Dick's 

 .iccount for 1745 was undoubtedly a tov. Most 



•' Born 1733. 1735. 173ti. .ind 17 18. rrsprciivcly. 



Figure lu. — .Mlrclr i-iiim .\ iuirnb(x>k in his 

 General .Account in 1743. It protxibly rrscmblcd 

 thb typical hornbook in the collection of 

 Nf'-' \rthur M. Greenwood. 



charming of all the entries in the latter account is 

 "I Coach in a box 6". 4 To\-s. B"*, 2 Singing birds" 

 The birds may have occupied a birdcage and st.ind 

 bought from George Rock, the account for which 

 was settled a year later. 



"I frcnch horn" and "3 trumpets" air listed in the 

 Dick account. The horn was pmbably used in 

 hunting; the three trumpets were lx>ught p- 

 for the three lx)>-s. Mercer's libr.irv- coniainci. • ■ 

 lx)ok of iinLsic entitled I hr Stusual Attu/Uawi, \»hlcl> 

 may have furnishetl the scores for a boyish trm of 

 trumpets. Music and dancing were a part •■'' ••"• 

 life at Marlborough, and in 1745 an entr>' 

 "General Gharges" reads "To DcKeyscr for a >cj»i> 



33 



