Acts · Chapter 25

[ edit] Therfore whanne Feſtus cam into prouynce, aftir þe þridde day he aſſendide to Jeruſalem fro Ceſarie. And þe princes of preſtis, and þe firſte of Jewis wenten to him aȝens Poul, and preieden him, axinge grace aȝens him, þat he ſchulde comaunde him for to be led to Jeruſalem; ſettinge aſpies for to ſle hym in þe weye. Soþli Feſtus anſweride, Poul for to be kepte in Ceſarie; him ſoþly to goynge forþ more rypeli, or haſteli. Þerfore he ſeiþ, Þei þat in ȝou ben myȝti, comynge doun to gidere; if ony cryme is in þe man, accuſe him. Soþli he dwellinge a mong hem no more þan eiȝte or ten dayes, cam doun to Ceſarie; and þat oþir day he ſat for domeſman, and comaundide Poul for to be ledd to.

Which whanne he was ledd, Jewis ſtooden aboute him, þe whiche camen doun fro Jeruſalem, puttinge aȝens manye and greuouſe cauſis, whiche þei myȝten not proue. Soþli Poul ȝeldinge reſoun, For neþir into þe lawe of Jewis, neþer in to þe temple, neþer into Ceſar, I ſynnede ony þing. Forſoþ Feſtus willinge for to ȝyue grace to þe Jewis, anſweringe to Poul, ſeide, Wolt þou aſſende to Jeruſalem, and þere be demed of þeſe þingis at me? Soþli Poul ſeide, At þe dom place of Ceſar I ſtonde, where it bihoueþ me for to be demyd. I haue not noyed to þe Jewis, as þou haſt betere knowun.

Soþli if I haue noyed, or don ony þing worþi deeþ, I forſake not for to deie; ſoþli if no þing of þeſe is, þat þei accuſen me, no man may ȝyue me to hem. Ceſar I apele. Þanne Feſtus ſpekinge wiþ þe counceil, anſweride, Ceſar þou haſt apelid, to Ceſar þou ſchalt go. And whanne ſumme dayes weren paſſid, Agrippa kyng, and Bernyſe camen doun to Ceſarie, for to greete wel Feſtus. And whanne þei dwelliden þere manye dayes, Feſtus ſchewide to þe king of Poul, ſeiynge, Sum man is left boundun of Felix, of which, whanne I was at Jeruſalem, princes of preſtis and eldere men of Jewis camen to me, axinge dampnacioun aȝens him.

To whom I anſweride, It is not cuſtom to Romayns, for to dampne ony man, bifore þat he þat is accuſid haue his accuſeris preſent, and take place of defendyng, for to wayſche a wey crymes, or greet treſpaſſis, þat ben putt aȝens. Þerfore whanne þei camen to gedire hidur, wiþoute ony delay, in þe day ſuynge I ſittinge for domeſman, comaundide þe man for to be ladd to. Of whom whanne þe accuſeris ſtooden nyȝ, þei ſeyden no cauſe, of whiche þingis I hadde ſuſpicioun of yuel. Soþli þei hadden aȝens hym ſumme queſtiouns of her veyn worſchiping, or religioun, and of ſum Jheſu deed, whom Poul affermyde for to lyue.

Soþli I doutinge of ſuch maner queſtioun, ſeide, If he wolde go to Jeruſalem, and þere for to be demyd of þeſe þingis? Forſoþ Poul apelinge, þat he ſchulde be kept to þe knowinge of þe emperour, I comaundide him for to be kept, til I ſchal ſende him to Ceſar. Soþli Agrippa ſeide to Feſtus, And I my ſilf wolde heere þe man. Feſtus anſweride, To morwe, he ſeiþ, þou ſchalt heere him. Soþeli on þat oþir day, whanne Agrippa and Bernyce camen wiþ moche ambicioun, or pryde of ſtaat, and entriden into þe auditorie, wiþ tribunis and principal men of þe citee, Feſtus biddinge, Poul is lad to.

And Feſtus ſeide, Kyng Agrippa, and alle men þat ben wiþ vs, ȝe ſeen þis, of þe which al þe multitude of Jewis preiede me at Jeruſalem, axinge, and cryinge, him for to not bihoue for to lyue more. Forſoþ I fond, him for to haue don no þing worþi of deeþ; ſoþli him apelinge þis þing to þe emperour, I deme for to ſende. Of which man I haue not, what þing certeyn I ſchal wryte to þe lord. For which þing I brouȝte him to ȝou, and mooſt to þee, O kyng Agrippa, þat axyng maad, I haue what I ſchal wryte. Forſoþ it is ſeyn to me wiþoute reſoun, for to ſende a boundun man, and not to ſignifie þe cauſe of him.