would be willing to spare from reading the particular stories of many other. But such is the neces∣sity hereof, that I can omit nothing making to the purpose, either for the nature or mortality of this Serpent, therefore I will strive to make the description pleasant, with variable history, seeing I may not avoid the length hereof, that so the sweetnesse of the one, (if my pen could so expresse it) may countervail the tediousnesse of the other.The Hebrews call it Thanin, and Wolphius translateth Oach a Dragon, in his Commentaries upon Nehemiah. The Chaldees call it Darken, and it seemeth that the Greek word Dracon is derived of the Chald. We read of Albedisimon, or Ahedysimon, for a kinde of Dragon, and also Alhatraf, and Hauden, Haren carnm, and such other terms, that may be referred to this place. The Grecians at this day call it Drakos; the Germans, Trach Lindtwarm; the French, Ʋn Dragon; the Italians, Drago, and Dragone. The derivation of the Greek word, beside the conjecture afore expressed, some think to be derived from Derkein, because of their vigilant eye-sight, and therefore it is faigned that they had the custody not only of the Golden-fleece, but also of many other treasures. And among other things, Alciatus hath an emblem of their vigilancy standing by an unmarried Virgin.Vera haec effigies innuptae est Palladis: ejusHic Draco, qui dominae constitit ante pedes.Cur Divae comes hoc animal? custadia rerumHuic data, sic lucos scraque templa colit.Innuptas opus est cura asservare puellasPervigili: laqueos undique tendit amor. Which may be Englished thus;This Dragon great which Lady Pallas stands before,Is the true picture of unmarried Maids:But why a consort to the Goddesse is this? and moreThen other beasts more meek, who never fades?Because the safegard of all things belong to this, et,Wherefore his house in Groves and sacred TemplesƲnmarried Maids of guards must never misse,Which watchful are to void loves snares and net.For this cause the Egyptians did picture Serapis their God with three heads, that is to say, of a Lyon in the middle, on the right hand a meek fawning Dog, and on the left hand a ravening Wolf, all which forms are joyned together by the winding body of a Dragon, turning his head to the right hand of the God; which three heads are interpreted to signifie three times; that is to say, by the Lyon the present time; by the Wolf, the time past; and by the fawning Dog, the time to come; all which are guarded by the vigilancy of the Dragon. For this cause also among the fixed Stars of the North, there is one called Draco, a Dragon, all of them ending their course with the Sun and Moon, and they are in this Sphear called by Astronomers the Intersections of the Circles, the supe∣rior of these ascending, is called the head of the Dragon, and the inferior descending, is called the tail of the Dragon. And some think that GOD in the 38. of Job, by the word Gneish, meaneth this Sign or Constellation.To conclude, the ancient Romans (as Vegetius writeth) carryed in all their Bands the Escutchion of a Dragon, to signifie their fortitude and vigilancy, which were born up by certain men called for that purpose Draconarii. And therefore when Constantius the Emperor entered into the City of Rome, his souldiers are said to bear up upon the tops of their spears, Dragons gaping with wide mouths, and made fast with golden chains and pearl, the winde whistling in their throats, as if they had been alive, threatning destruction, and their tails hanging loose in the air, were likewise by the winde tossed to and fro, as though they strove to come off from the spears, but when the winde was laid, all their motion was ended, whereupon the Poet saith:Mansuescunt varii vento cessante Dracones. In English thus;When whistling winde in air ceast,The Dragons tamed then did rest.The tale also of the Golden-fleece, if it be worth any place in this story, deserveth to be inserted here, as it is reported by Diodorus Siculus. When Aetes reigned in Pontus, he received an answer from the Oracle, that he should then dye when strangers should come thither with ships and fetch away the Golden-fleece. Upon which occasion he shewed himself to be of a cruel nature, for he did not only make Proclamation that he would sacrifice all strangers which came within his Dominions, but did also perform the same, that by the fame and report of such cruelty, he might terrifie all other Nations from having accesse unto that Temple. Not contented herewith, he raised a great strong wall round about the Temple wherein the Fleece was kept, and caused a sure watch or guard to attend the same day and night, of whom the Grecians tell many strange fables. For they say there were Bulls breathing out fire, and a Dragon warding the Temple and defending the Fleece, but the truth is that these watchmen because of their strength were called Bulls, because of their cru∣elty, were said to breath out fire, and because of their vigilancy, cruelty, strength and terror, to be Dragons.Some affirm again, that in the Gardens of Hesperides in Lybia, there were golden Apples, which were kept by a terrible Dragon, which Dragon was afterward slain by Hercules, and the Apples taken away by him, and so brought to Eurystheus. Others affirm that Hesperides had certain flocks of sheep, the colour of whose wooll was like gold, and they were kept by a valiant shepheard called Draco: but I rather agree with Solinus, who giveth a more true reason of this fable, Ne fam licentis0