Part 1. Travels into L e v a n t. 211 
CHAP. LUI. 
: 0/Acre. 
Ac ^ £ is a Town of Pdefiine^ lying on the Sea ; it was anciently called Acre. 
Acco^ afterwards Ptolemais, long held by the Knights of Malta, and Ftokmm. 
hath been a very large and ftrong place, as appears by the marks that remain, 
but at prefent it is almoft wholly Ruined, and the Harbour of it (which is very 
great) now filled up with Rubbifh. This Town depends on the Balha of 
Se^het. Hiftory mentions, that heretofore there were as many Churches in 
this Town as there are days in the Year -, at prefent there are only the Ruines 
of about thirty to be feen ; among others there are fome ftately remains of 
one, where ( as they fay ) the Knights of Malta heretofore had a Treafure, 
which they marked with a piece of Marble, and which, not many Years fince, 
they brought away in a Ship that came purpofely to Acre^unÛQr pretext of buy- 
ing Goods. The Palace of the Great Mafter is to be feen there ftill, but very 
Ruinous i there is in this Palace a back Gate towards the Sea, by which the 
Knights abandoned the Town, and went on Shipboard, when they could no 
longer defend the place. There remain ftill a fair Stair-cafe, and fome Build- 
ings,made there by the Etnir Farr Eddin^vjith feveral other very lovely Ruines. 
There is alfo a fquare Tovv'cr in Jcre, which ferves for a Caftie, with a Houfe 
clofe by it that ferves for a Senaglio to the Baftia, when he is in that Town, 
which is not much Inhabited, for there are not fifty Houfes in it, and thefe too 
rather Huts than Houfes : Neverthelefs there is a little Han there, where the 
French Company of Sayde lodged at that time, but they were fo ftreightned in 
it, that there were no fewer than four of them in one Room. The caufe of 
the French Companies removing from Sayde to Acre, v^ras that he who Com- 
mands at Sayde^ having done them an Injury, and refufing to make Repara- 
tion, Jidonfieur de Bricard the Conful, refolved to have Juftice of him, and 
having given Orders for all things neceiTary, he pretended one day to go a 
Hunting, but being abroad in the Fields with all his Merchants, he made all 
hafte to Acre^ where he was kindly Welcomed by the Bafha of Se^het : The 
other finding this, fent to entreat the Conful to return, promifing him all Satis- 
fadion, but the Conful was fo far from condefcending to it, that he fent De- 
puties to Conftantinofle to make his Complaints againlt this Turk of Saydgj 
who feeing that he could not prevail with the French by fair mains, gained an 
Arab Sehetk-, who promifed to bring the Conful and all the Merchants back by 
force. But the French being informed of this,fl;ood upon their Guard,fo that the 
Arab finding his defign blow'd upon, durft not undertake it. In ftiort, this 
Man of Sayde being now at his Witfend, threatned to Plunder their Ware- 
houfes, which were full of Goods at Sayde, if they did not return ; but that 
did not at all move them, as knowing he would have a care how he did that, 
for he would have been forced to reftore all back again one day, and if they 
had thought fit, more than he had taken, by pretending that there was ten 
times as much in them as indeed there was : But at length, fome Months after, 
the Conful and Nation having received all Satisfaction from Conjlaminofle, re- 
turned in Triumph to Sayde. 
E e 2 
CHAP, 
