O Say Can You See

Be it remembered that heretofore towit on the ninth day of February in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred and ninety two, Phillis Shorter and Letty her Daughter by Gabriel Duvall their attorney prefer to the Court here their petition for Freedom against Mary Boarman in form following towit

To the honourable the Judges of the General Court

The Petition of Phillis Shorter humbly sheweth, that she is held in slavery by Mary Boarman of Charles County together with her child Letty; and she is advised that she is entitled to her freedom being descended in the female line from Elizabeth Shorter a free white woman. She therefore prays your honors the premises being considered & facts proved, to discharge her & her child from the further service of the said Mary Boarman and she is in duty bound will pray &soforth.

G Duvall for Petr.

Thereupon it is ordered by the Court here that the writ of the State of Maryland of Subpena ad respondendum issue against the said Mary Boarman to answer unto the said Petition &soforth and the same issues inform following towit.

The State of Maryland Sst To the Sheriff of Charles County Greeting We command you that you Summons Mary Boarman that all delay and excuses set aside she be and appear before the Judges of our General Court to be held at the City of Annapolis on the second Tuesday of May next to answer unto the Petition of Phillis Shorter & Letty her Daughter preferred against her for freedom hereof she is not to fail, and fail not at your peril, and have you then and there this writ witness the Honble Samuel Chase Esquire Chief Judge of our said Court the 29 day of December Anno Domini 1792.

Issued the 20th day of December 1792. GD. Jno Gwinn Clk.

The same day is given to the Petitioners andsoforth.

At which said second Tuesday of May being the fourteenth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety three and the day of the return of the aforegoing writ comes into the General Court here the said Phillis Shorter & Letty her Daughter by their attorney aforesaid and the Sheriff of Charles County to whom the said writ was in form aforesaid directed makes return to the Court here thus endorsed towit.

"NE. James Simmes Sheriff"

and   And the said Mary Boarman by Philip Barton Key her attorney appears voluntarily in Court here and defends the force and injury when andsoforth and prays leave of the Court here to imparle untill the second Tuesday of October next, and to her it is granted, the same day is given to the petitioners also.

At which said second Tuesday of October being the eighth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety three, to which said day the said Mary Boarman had leave to imparle come again into the General Court here as well the petitioners as the Defendant by their attornies, and the said Mary Boarman by her said attorney (as before) defends the force and injury when adsoforth and prays further leave of the Court here to imparle untill the second Tuesday of May next and to her it is granted, the same day is given to the Petitioners also.

At which said second Tuesday of May being the thirteenth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven hundred and ninety four, to which said day the said Mary Boarman had leave to imparle come again into the General Court here as well the petitioners as the Defendant by their attornies and the said Mary Boarman by her said attorney (as before) defends the force and injury when andsoforth and prays further leave of the Court here to imparle untill the second Tuesday of October next, and to her it is granted the same day is given to the Petitioners also.

At which said second Tuesday of October being the fourteenth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety four to which said day the said Mary Boarman had further leave to imparle come again into the General Court as well the Petitioners as the Defendant by their attornies and the said Mary Boarman by her said attorney (as before) defends the force and injury when and soforth, and prays further leave of the Court here to imparle untill the second Tuesday of May next; and to her it is granted the same day is given to the said Petitioners also.

At which said second Tuesday of May being the twelfth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven hundred and ninety five to which day the said Mary Boarman had leave to imparle come again into the General Court here as well the petitioners as the Defendant by their attornies, and the said Mary Boarman (as before) defends the force and injury when andsoforth, and prays further leave of the Court here to imparle untill the Second Tuesday of October next, and to her it is granted the same day is given to the Petitioners also.

At which said Second Tuesday of October being the thirteenth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred and ninety five to which said day the said Mary Boarman has leave to imparle come again into the General Court here as well the Petitioners as the Defendant by their attornies. And the said Phillis Shorter and Letty her Daughter file in Court here the following Deposition towit (here insert the Deposition of Terry Shorter [incomplete image]   said attorney (as before) defends the force and injury when andsoforth and prays further leave of the Court here to imparle until the second Tuesday of May next, and to her it is granted the same day is given to the said Petitioners also.

And Now at this day towit the said second Tuesday of May being the tenth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety six, to which said day the said Mary Boarman had leave to imparle come again into the General Court here as well the petitioners as the Defendant by their attornies. and the said Phillis Shorter and Letty her Daughter by Jonathan Roberts Wilmer their attorney file in Court here the following Deposition towit. (here insert the Deposition of Jenny Shorter as entered in page 41) Whereupon all and singular the premises between the parties aforesaid by the Court here being seen heard and fully understood and mature deliberation thereupon had for that it appears to the Court here that the said Phillis Shorter and Letty her Daughter the Petitioners aforesaid are entitled to their freedom as they by their Petition to the Court here have alledged. Therefore it is considered by the Court here that the said Phillis Shorter and Letty her Daughter the Petitioners aforesaid be free and discharged of and from the service of the said Mary Boarman and that they the said Phillis Shorter and Letty her Daughter the Petitioners aforesaid go thereof within 1 day &c. It is further Considered by the Court here that the said Phillis Shorter and Letty her Daughter recover against the said Mary Boarman the quantity of six hundred and forty three pounds of Tobacco by the Court here unto them on their assent adjudged for their costs and charges by them about the prosecution of their petition laid out and expended, and that they have thereof their execution &ca.

Test John Gwinn Clk