Your Imperial Highness!
As you so graciously had me informed through Count Troyer that you would kindly add a few lines to the Oberstburggraf Kolowrat about my affair at Prague, I am talking the liberty of enclosing my letter to Count K[olowrat] – I don’t think there is anything in it likely to offend Y.I.H. In any case the payment in redemption bonds will not continue, for notwithstanding all the proofs the guardians would not condescend to do that. Meanwhile there are grounds for hope that at any rate a more favourable result may be achieved by means of the steps which have been taken provisionally in the most friendly way and not through legal channels, such a a step being, for instance, an increase in the financial scale – But if Your Imperial Highness would just write a few words or have them written on your behalf, the affair would certainly be speeded up. And that is the reason why I have requested Y.I.H., and am again most earnestly entreating you, to carry out this promise which you very kindly gave me – it is now three years since this affair has been – waiting to be decided –
Your Imperial Highness’s
Most obedient and most faithful servant
Ludwig van Beethoven