The Law of Nations or the Principles of Natural Law (1758)Emmerich de Vattel Of Safe-conducts and Passports, — with Questions on the Ransom of Prisoners of War§ 265. Nature of safe-conducts and passports.§ 266. From what authority they emanate.§ 267. Not transferable from one person to another.§ 268. Extent of the promised security.§ 269. How to judge of the right derived from a safe-conduct.§ 270. Whether it includes baggage and domestics.§ 271. Safe-conduct granted to the father does not include his family. § 272. Safe-conduct given in general, to any one and his retinue.§ 273. Term of the safe-conduct.§ 274. A person forcibly detained beyond the term.§ 275. The Safe-conduct does not expire at the death of him who gave it.§ 276. How it may be revoked.§ 277. Safe-conduct with the clause, for such time as§ 278. Conventions relating to the ransom of prisoners.§ 279. The right of demanding a ransom may be transferred.§ 280. What may annul the convention made for the rate of the ransom. § 281. A prisoner dying before payment of ransom.§ 282. Prisoner released on condition of procuring the release of another.§ 283. Prisoner retaken before he has paid his former ransom.§ 284. Prisoner rescued before he has received his liberty.§ 285. Whether the things which a prisoner has found means to conceal, belong to him.§ 286. Hostages given lot the release of a prisoner.
     1.    At the famous interview at Peronne, Charles duke of Burgundy, exasperated to find that Louis XI. had engaged the people of Liege to take up arms against him, paid no respect to the safe conduct which he had granted to that prince. If Louis had plotted and negotiated their defection while he was at Peronne, Charles would have been justifiable in disregarding a safe-conduct of which an improper use had been made. But the French monarch had dispatched agents to Ghent for that purpose, before there was any question of the meeting at Peronne; and Charles, in the transports of blind resentment, excited by the disagreeable and unexpected intelligence, committed a flagrant breach of the law of nations.