The Topsham-built Mercury entered Lloyd's Register in 1790 with R. Scovell, master, St Barbe, owner, and trade London–Virginia, changing to London-Straits.

[3] Captain John Cristall acquired a letter of marque on 10 May 1794,[2] and sailed from Plymouth on 24 June, bound for Bengal.

Homeward bound, Mercury was at Sagar Island on 17 March, reached St Helena on 18 June and the River Shannon on 13 September, and arrived at The Downs on 15 October.

[7] Lloyd's List reported on 21 December 1802 that Mercury, Richie, master, had been lost off Lowestoffe while sailing from Leith to London.

[8] Lloyd's Register for 1803 and 1804 showed Mercury trading between Leith and the Baltic, but that almost surely represented a plan for 1803 with the data carried over to 1804.