Will Your Electoral Grace deign to receive the representation that by the acceptance of service elsewhere of Court Musician Dauber there has fallen to the disposition of Your Reverend Electoral Grace a salary of 1,050 rth., wherefore I, Joannes van Beethoven, having graciously been permitted for a considerable time to serve as court musician and have been graciously assured by decree of appointment to the first vacancy, and have always faithfully and diligently performed my duties and graciously been permitted to be in good voice, therefore my prayer is made to Your Reverend and Electoral Grace for a grant of the aforesaid 1,050 rth. or a gracious portion thereof, which act of highest grace I shall try to merit by fidelity and zeal in the performance of my duties. Your Reverend Electoral Grace’s most obedient servant Joannes van Beethoven, vocalist. This petition was seconded by the father in the following manner: Most Reverend Archbishop and Elector, Most gracious Lord, Lord. Your Electoral Grace having graciously been pleased to submit for my humble report the humble petition of Your Highness’s court musician Joann Ries that his daughter be appointed to the place in the court music of Your Highness made vacant by the discharged soprano Lentner _sub Litt. A._ Humbly obeying Your gracious command I submit an impartial report that for about a year the daughter of the court musician Ries has frequented the “Duc sahl” (doxal) and sung the soprano part and that to my satisfaction. But now that my son Joannes van Beethoven has already for 13 years sung soprano, contralto and tenor in every emergency that has arisen on the “Duc sahl,” is also capable on the violin, wherefore Your Reverend Electoral Grace _27 Novembris 1762_ granted the accompanying decree graciously bearing your own high sign manual _sub Litt. B._ My humble and obedient but not anticipatory opinion is that the court singer Lentner’s vacated salary _ad_ 300 fl. (: who went away without the gracious permission of Your Highness over a quarter of a year ago and reported to me _in specie_ she was going without permission and would not return:) be graciously divided so that my son be decreed to receive 200 florins and the daughter of Court Musician Ries 100 fl. _Zu Ewr. Churfürst. gnaden beständige hulden und gnaden mich unterthänigst erlassendt in tieffester submission ersterbe._ Your Reverend Electoral Grace’s most humble and obedient Ludwig van Beethoven, Chapel Master. JOHANN VAN BEETHOVEN’S SALARY Increase of salary of 100 rthr. for Court Musician Beethoven. M. F.