Paradin (f. 25) is also our authority with respect to the Order of the Golden Fleece, its motto and device being thus presented:—
“The order of the Golden Fleece,” says Paradin, “was instituted by Philip, Duke of Burgundy, styled the Good, in the year 1429, for which he named[[124]] twenty-four Knights without reproach, besides himself, as chief and founder, and gave to each one of them for ensign of the said Order a Collar of gold composed of his device of the Fusil, with the Fleece of gold appearing in front; and this (as people say) was in imitation of that which Jason acquired in Colchis, taken customarily for Virtue, long so much loved by this good Duke, that he merited this surname of Goodness, and other praises contained on his Epitaph, where there is mention made of this Order of the Fleece, in the person of the Duke saying,—
'Pour maintenir l’Eglise, qui est de Dieu maison,
J’ai mis sus le noble Ordre, qu’on nomme la Toison.'”
The expedition of the Argonauts, and Jason’s carrying off of the Golden Fleece may here be appropriately mentioned; they are referred to by the Emblem writers, as well as the exploit of Phrixus, the brother of Helle, in swimming across the Hellespont on the golden-fleeced ram. The former Whitney introduces when describing the then new and wonderful circumnavigation of the globe by Sir Francis Drake (p. 203),—
“Let Græcia then forbeare, to praise her Iason boulde?
Who throughe the watchfull dragons pass’d, to win the fleece of goulde.
Since by Medeas helpe, they weare inchaunted all,
And Iason without perrilles, pass’de: the conqueste therfore small?
But, hee, of whome I write, this noble minded Drake,