THe third Citie alongst the coast of the Sea, which the Asserites could not ob∣taine, [unspec 20] on the South bound of Asser was Acho, which was the ancient name there∣of after Hierome, though other good Authors affirme that it tooke name from Acon the brother of Ptolomie. Plinie calleth it Ace: and otherwise the Colonie of Claudius.* 1.1 It had also the name of Coth or Cod, and by Zeiglerus it is called Hactipos.
But lastly, it was intituled Ptolomais after the name of one of the Aegyptian Ptolo∣mies: which Citie also as it is 1. Mac. 11. another of the Ptolomies, infideliously wre∣sted* 1.2 from his sonne in law Alexander, which called himselfe the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes: the same Alexander hauing married Cleopatra daughter of the said Ptolo∣mie not long before. Therein also was Ionathan Macchabaeus treacherously surprized and slaine, as it is 1. Macc. 12. 48. by the perfidiousnesse of Tryphon, whom soone af∣ter* 1.3 [unspec 30] Antiochus pursued as it is in the Storie ensuing: and by like reason about the same time was the aforesaid Alexander in the warre against Demetrius one of the sonnes of Antiochus the great with whom Ptolomie ioyned, ouerthrowne and trea∣cherously murthered by Zabdiel the Arabian: to whom he fled for succour: and his head presented vnto his father in law Ptolomie: who enioyed not the glory of his vi∣ctorie and treason aboue three dayes, for God strucke him by death.* 1.4
For the beautie and strength of this Citie, this Alexander made it his regall seate; two parts of the same being inuironed by the Sea, and the Port for safetie and ca∣pacitie not inferiour to any other in all that Tract. This Citie is distant from Hie∣rusalem some foure and thirtie miles: foure miles to the North from the Moun∣taine [unspec 40] Carmel, and as much to the South from Castrum Lamberti: from Tyre, Antoni∣nus* 1.5 maketh it two and thirtie Italian miles. In the middest of the Citie there was a Tower of great strength sometime the Temple of Bel-zebub: and therefore 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Castle of Flies, on the toppe whereof there was maintained a perpetuall light,* 1.6 like vnto that called Pharus in Aegypt: to giue comfort in the night to those ships, which came neere and sought that part. It had in it a Bishops seate, of the Dio∣cesse of Tyre, after it became Christian: but in the yeere 636. (a fatall yeere to the Chri∣stians in those parts) it was forced and taken by Haomarus the Saracen. In the yeere 1104. it was regained by Baldwine the first, by the helpe of the Gallies of 〈◊〉〈◊〉: to* 1.7 whom a third of the reuenew was giuen in recompence. Againe, in the yeere of [unspec 50] our Lord God, one thousand one hundred foure-score and seuen Saladine King of Aegypt, and Syria, became Lord thereof. In the yeere of Christ, one thousand one hundred ninetie and one, by Richard King of England, and Philip King of France it was repossessed and redeliuered to the Christians. Lastly, in the yeere 1291. it