Mary McCann to John Adams and Abigail Adams, 2 July 1785
Mary McCann to John Adams and Abigail Adams
2nd July 1785
May it please your Excellency
Madam
Having humbly presumed to wait on you to solicit the honor of serving your Excellency’s Family with Cream and Milk, and had the honor to give you at the Hotel last Fryday, a Recommendation from his Excellency the Spanish Ambassador’s Steward, you was pleased to order me to wait at your House in Grosvenor Square Yesterday Morning with Cream and Milk, which I accordingly did; but may it please your Excellency, I am humbly to inform you, that a Woman in the Care of the House refused taking either from me, tho’ I told her I came by your Excellency’s Order: thus refused by her, I beg leave with all Humility to address your Excellency with these few lines, humbly to solicit the honor of serving your Family.
As I have Madam the honor of serving now His Excellency the Spanish Ambassador, and likewise had the same honor to serve Prince Caramanico, and Count Pignatelli1 when here, I presume to hope my Conduct is always approved off; and if your Excellency will permit me to hope for the honor of receiving your Commands, it shall be my pride and Study to merit the honor of your Excellency’s Countenance and protection, and in Duty I shall be bound to pray!
Mary McCann
No. 1 Great Quebec St.
Portman Square
RC (Adams Papers).
1. The Spanish ambassador was Bernardo del Campo y Pérez de la Serna (made the marqués del Campo in Aug. 1786), who served in London from 1783 to 1795. Francesco d’Aquino, Principe di Caramanico, served as the Sicilian envoy to Britain from 1781 to June 1784, and then to France, Oct. 1784 to Jan. 1785. Michele, Conte Pignatelli, preceded d’Aquino as Sicilian envoy to Britain, 1771–1781, and to France, Aug. 1783 – June 1784. , 3:432–433, 424, 423.