Now Felix was a harsh and tyrannical governor; and though he had done good service in freeing the country from the robbers which had infested it, and in punishing impostors (like the Egyptian), he had caused the High Priest to be murdered, and had often driven the Jews into rebellion by his barbarous and unjust acts. In short, his whole conduct created such disturbances in the land, and made him so hateful to the Jewish people, that within two years of this time, they petitioned the Roman Government for his removal; and Porcius Festus was appointed governor instead of him. When therefore Tertullus, as the mouthpiece of the Jews, spake in this way of the peace and quiet they enjoyed under his excellent government, they were not expressing their real true opinions, but were only saying what they thought would please Felix, and make him more willing to do what they wished. Tertullus having thus prepared the way, went on to bring his accusations against St. Paul, saying, "For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law. But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him." This speech was full of falsehood, inasmuch as it so misrepresented what had happened, as to lead Felix to think that the prisoner before him had proved himself a dangerous enemy to the Roman Government, and that the chief captain had violently and unnecessarily interfered with the peaceable exercise of the Council's rights, of examining into those matters of which St. Paul was accused. The Jews, however, assented, saying that these things which Tertullus had spoken were true. When Tertullus had thus informed Felix, the latter called upon St. Paul to answer to these charges. Felix having now been governor of Judæa for four or five years, knew something of the religion, laws, and customs of the Jews, and was therefore the better able to judge in these matters. "Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself: because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city: neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me."