O Say Can You See

Be it remembered that at this same Term towit the Second Tuesday of October being the ninth day of the same month in the year Seventeen hundred and ninety two Eleanor Butler by Gabriel Duvall her attorney files in our General Court the following petition for Freedom towit.

To the honourable the Judges of the General Court.

The petition of Eleanor Butler humbly Sheweth, that She is held in Slavery (together with her Child Mary) by Joseph Gardiner of Charles County and She is advised that She is entitled to her freedom being descended in the female line from a free white woman. She Therefore prays your honour (the premises being considered) to discharge them from the custody of the Said Joseph Gardiner, and that Summons may issue for the Said Gardiner to answer unto this petition, and She will pray &soforth.

G Duvall for Petr

And the said Joseph Gardiner by Philip Barton Key his attorney appears in court here and Saith that he cannot deny but that the said Eleanor Butler is entitled to her freedom in manner and form as She has above Set forth. Therefore it is considered by the Court here that the said Eleanor Butler the petitioner aforesaid be free and discharged of and from the Service of the Said Joseph Gardiner and that She the Said Petitioner go thereof without day &ca It is also considered and adjudged by the Court here, that the said Eleanor Butler the petitioner aforesaid recover against the said Joseph Gardiner the quantity of       pounds of Tobacco by the Court here unto her the Said Eleanor Butler on her assent adjudged for her cost and charges by her about her prosecution of the petition aforesaid in this behalf laid out and expended; and that She have thereof her execution against the said Joseph Gardiner &ca

Test. John Gwinn Clk.