which sales your petitioner is informed and
believes was made for the benefit of said
JamesJames H Relfe H. RelfeJames H Relfe who received the proceeds
In virtue of which contrivances
the said Thompson H. FicklinThompson H Ficklin now claims your
petitioner as a slave and detains him
as such

Your petitioner upon the facts aforesaid
claims his freedom and prays that he may
be permitted to sue as a free person to establish his freedom and that he may
have the protection of your honorable court
until the cause shall be finally determined
according to the form of the statute in
such cases made And your
petitioner will ever pray