O Say Can You See

To the Honorable the Judges of the General Court.

The Petition of James Butler humbly sheweth that he is has heretofore been wrongfully held in Slavery by [illegible] a certain Philip Ford of Saint Mary's County, by whom he has been lately sold to a certain James Arnold of who resides in the western Country from whom your Petitioner has made his escape, being on the way to the western Country, in the custody of the said James Arnold.

Your Petitioner further sheweth that being descended from a free white woman he is intitled to his freedom, and prays your Honours that summons may issue for his witnesses to enable him to ascertain the facts aforesaid, and that he may be discharged and liberated.

H: Ridgely for Petitioner