¶ Paule is accused before Felix, he answereth for him selfe.
CAPI. XXIIII.
[ A] AFter fyue dayes, Ananias the high prest descended with the elders, and with a certeyn oratour named Tertullus, and enformed the ruler of Paule. When Paule was called forthe, Tertullus began to ac∣cuse him, sayinge: where as we lyue in greate quietnes by the meanes of the, and many good thinges are done vnto this nacion through thy prouidence: that alow we euer and in all pla∣ces moost myghty Felix with al thankes. Not withstandyng that I be not tedious vnto the I praye the that thou woldest heare vs of thy curtesye a fewe wordes.
[ B] We haue founde this man a* 1.1 pestilent fe∣lowe, and a moner of debate vnto all the Ie∣wes thorowe out the worlde, and a mayntey∣ner of the secte of Nazarytes, and hathe also enforced to pollute the temple. Whome we toke and wolde haue iudged according to our lawe, but the hye captayne Lysias came vpon vs, and with greate violence toke him awaye out of our handes, commaundynge his accu∣sers to come to the. Of whome thou mayste (yf thou wylte enquyre) knowe of all these thynges wherof we accuse him. The Iewes [ C] lykewyse affirmed, saying that it was euen so.
Then Paule (after that the ruler him selfe had beckened vnto him that he sholde speake) answered: I shall with a more quiet mynde answere for my selfe, for as moche as I vn∣derstande, that thou hast ben of many yeres a iudge vnto this people, bicause yt thou mayste [ D] knowe that there are yet but twelue dayes si∣thens I wente vp to Ierusalem for to praye, and they nether found me in the temple dispu¦tynge with any man, eyther raysynge vp the people, neyther in the Synagoges, nor in the city. Neither can they proue the thinges wher∣of they accuse me.
But this I confesse vnto the, that after that waye (whiche they call heresye) so worshyp I the God of my fathers, beleuynge all thinges whiche are wrytten in the lawe and the Pro∣phetes, and haue hope towardes God, that the same resurrection of the deed (which they them selues loke for also) shall be hoth of iust and vniuste. And therfore studye I to haue a clere consciencie towarde God, and towarde man also.
But after many yeres. I came and brought almes to my people, & offeringes in the whiche they founde me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor yet with vnquietnes, how be it there were certayne Iewes oute of Asia, whiche oughte to be here presente before the, and accuse me, yf they had ought agaynste me: [ E] or elles let these same here saye, yf they haue founde any euyll doyng in me, whyle I stande here in the counsell: excepte it be for this one voyce that I cryed standynge amonge them, of the resurrection of the deed, am I iudged of you this daye.
When Felix herde these thynges, he defer∣red them, for he knewe very wel of that way, and sayd: when Lysias the capteyn is come, I wyll knowe the vtmost of your matters. And he commaunded an vnder captayne to kept Paule, and that he shold haue rest, and that he sholde forbyd none of his acqueyntaunce to [ F] minister vnto him, and to come vnto him.
And after a certayne dayes, came Felix and his wyfe Drusilla, whiche was a Iewe, and called forth Paule, and herde him of the faith whiche is towarde Chryst, and as he preached of ryghtousnes, temperaunce, and iudgement to come, Felix trembled and answered: thou [ G] haste doone ynoughe at this tyme, departe / when I haue conuenient tyme, I wyll sende for the. He hoped also that money sholde haue ben gyuen him of Paule, that he myght loose him: wherfore he called him the oftener, and commoned with him. But after two yere. Fe∣stus Porcius came in to Felix rowme. And Fe∣lix wyllynge to shewe the Iewes a pleasure, lefte Paule in pryson bounde.