O Say Can You See

Know all men by these presents that we, Elizabeth Cocke, now of the County of Prince George, and Know all men by these presents that we, Elizabeth Cocke, now of the County of Prince George, and State of Virginia; James Cocke of the same County and State, Richard K. Meade of Petersburg in the same state; John Y. Mason now Secretary of the Navy of the United States, and Peter E Hoffman of the Town of Alexandria and State of Virginia, are held and firmly bound to the United States of America in the full and just sum of Five hundred Dollars, to be paid to the said United States of America, their certain attorney or their assigns: to which payment well and Freely to be made, we do hereby bind ourselves and each of us, our and every of our heirs, Executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly, by these presents. Sealed with our seals and dated this 2d day of November eighteen hundred and forty eight.

Whereas: There is now pending in the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for the County of Washington against the above named Elizabeth Cocke, a petition wherein a certain negro woman named Winney and her said child named Turner; in which said petition it is sought to establish the freedom of said Winney and her child named Turner; and whereas the said Elizabeth Cocke cannot lawfully remove the said petitioner from the said District without giving bond, and security, in such penalty as the said Court may deem fit, for their forthcoming at Trial of the said Cause, and the said Court hath required the said Elizabeth Cocke to give bond in the penalty of Five hundred Dollars with security to the satisfaction of the Chief Justice of the said Court conditioned that the said negroes shall be at the City of Washington and at liberty to attend to the prosecution of their said petition at the       Term of the said Court, and at such other and future Terms thereof to which the said cause shall and may, from Time to time be continued

Now the condition of the above obligation is such that if the said Elizabeth Cocke, her executors and administrators shall and do well and Freely have and produce the said negro woman named Winney and her said child named Turner at the Novr. Term of the said Court and then and there permit then and each of them to attend and have full and free intercourse with their counsel, and opportunity to prepare Their said Cause for Trial; and in case the said cause shall not be Tried at the said Term, but shall be continued, then in like manner at any succeeding Term and Terms of said Court to which the same shall and may from time to time be continued, then the above obligation to be void and of no effect, otherwise to be and remain in full force and virtue in law.

Elizabeth Cocke {seal}
Jas Cocke {seal}
R. K. Meade {seal}
{seal}
{seal}

I have good cause to deliver that the other obligors are very wealthy. probably worth from seventy five to one hundred thousand dollars.
R. Wallace