The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Volumes 1 and 2Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
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The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Volumes 1 and 2
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de, 1522-1592
I found him sitting disconsolately in the vestibule, and he at once
assailed me with a long complaint, saying, I ought not to have gone
out without his consent or have broken the doors. He declared that it
was a breach of the law of nations, &c. I answered shortly that had
he chosen to come in time, as he had promised, there would have been
no need for me to burst the doors; and I made him understand that it
was all his fault for not keeping his word, and for trifling with me.
I concluded by asking whether they considered me an ambassador or a
prisoner? ‘An ambassador,’ he answered. ‘If a prisoner,’ I rejoined,
‘it is useless employing me to make peace, as a prisoner is not a free
agent; but if you consider me an ambassador, why am I not at liberty?
Why am I prevented leaving my house when I please? It is usual,’ I
repeated, ‘for prisoners to be kept shut up, but not for ambassadors.
Indeed the freedom of ambassadors is a right recognised by the law of
nations.’ I told him also to remember that he had been attached to me,
not as a jailor or policeman, but, as he was always saying himself, to
assist me by his services, and to take care that no injury was done to
myself or my servants. He then turned to the Janissaries, and began
quarrelling with them for giving me advice, and helping my men to open
the doors. They said that I had not needed their advice, I had ordered
them to open the doors and they had obeyed. They told him, with perfect
truth, that in doing this but little exertion had been required, as the
bars had given way under very slight pressure, and that nothing had
been broken or injured. Thus the cavasse’s remonstrances were stopped
whether he would or no, and nothing more was heard of the matter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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