A nephew of Paul, the son of his sister, learned of this conspiracy, and, obtaining access to the fortress, informed Paul of his peril. Paul sent the young man by one of the centurions to communicate the intelligence to Lysias. Thus informed, Lysias secretly at night assembled a band of four hundred Roman soldiers and spearmen and seventy cavalry to escort Paul to Cæsarea, and place him under the control of Felix, the governor of Judæa, who resided in that city. It was a journey of seventy-five miles, and would have to be taken rapidly; and therefore more than one horse was provided for Paul. The escort started with its prisoner at nine o’clock at night, and took with them the following letter to the governor:―― “Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting. This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them; then came I with an army and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. And, when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council; whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. And, when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.” Marching rapidly with their prisoner, the escort proceeded that night thirty-eight miles, as far as Antipatris. From this point the foot-soldiers returned to Jerusalem, as their presence was no longer needed for the protection of Paul. The horsemen accompanied Paul the remainder of the way to Cæsarea, and, proceeding directly to the governor, surrendered to him their prisoner. Felix ordered Paul to be held in custody in Herod’s palace, which was the official residence of the governor, until his accusers should come from Jerusalem. After an interval of five days, Ananias the high priest, with the elders, and a distinguished orator named Tertullus, came to Cæsarea to prefer their charges against Paul in the presence of the governor. Tertullus brought forward their accusations in the following address to Felix:――