the ancient mythology, was the skin or fleece of the ram upon which Phryxus and Hella are supposed to have swum over the sea to Colchis; and which being sacrificed to Jupiter, was hung upon a tree in the grove of Mars, guarded by two brazen-hoof'd bulls, and a monstrous dragon that never slept; but was taken and carried off by Jason and the Argonauts.

Many authors have endeavoured to show that this fable is an allegorical representation of some real history. GOL

tory, particularly of the philosopher's stone. Others have explained it by the profit of the wool-trade to Colchis, or the gold which they commonly gathered there with fleeces in the rivers. See ARGONAUTS.

Order of the GOLDEN Fleece, is a military order instituted by Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, in 1429. It took its denomination from a representation of the golden fleece, borne by the knights on their collars, which consisted of flints and steels. The king of Spain is now grand master of the order, in quality of duke of Burgundy; the number of knights is fixed to thirty-one.

It is usually said to have been instituted on occasion of an immense profit which that prince made by wool; though others will have a chemical mystery couched under it, as under that famous one of the ancients, which the adepts contend to be no other than the secret of the elixir, wrote on the fleece of a sheep.

Oliver de la Marche writes, that he had suggested to Philip I. archduke of Austria, that the order was instituted by his grandfather Philip the Good duke of Burgundy, with a view to that of Jafon; and that John Germain bishop of Chalons, chancellor of the order, upon this occasion made him change his opinion, and assured the young prince that the order had been instituted with a view to the fleece of Gideon. William bishop of Tournay, chancellor likewise of the order, pretends that the duke of Burgundy had in view both the golden fleece of Jafon and Jacob's fleece, i.e., the speckled sheep belonging to this patriarch, according to agreement made with his father-in-law Laban. Which sentiment gave birth to a great work of this prelate, in two parts: in the first, under the symbol of the fleece of Jafon, is represented the virtue of magnanimity, which a knight ought to possess; and under the symbol of the fleece of Jacob he represents the virtue of justice.

Paradin is of the same mind; and tells us, that the duke designed to insinuate that the fabulous conquest which Jafon is said to have made of the golden fleece in Colchis, was nothing else but the conquest of virtue, which gains a victory over those horrible monsters vice and our evil inclinations.