The INTERPRETER.

1. JAson is from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifieth medicine or the art of curing diseases; and Medaea from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, counsell; to shew us that where health of body is conjoyned to counsel and judgement of mind; their great actions and brave exploits are atchived. 2. That a Physitian who would cure a disease, must doe nothing without Medaea, that is, without advise or counsell. 3. By Jasons voyage to find out the golden fleece, was meant that iourney of the Gre∣cians to Colchis to find out a golden mine. By the golden fleece may be understood a book guilded, and covered with a sheeps skin, teaching the Philosophers stone, or art of Page  124 converting metals into gold. Th•t was a long and charge•ble voyage; but the paines which our Chymist• take to find out the Philosoph•rs, •tone is more tedious, and chargeable; and which is worse, Jason found the golde• fleece; but these men have not yet found, and I beleeve never shall find the Philosophers stone. 4. They that with Jason will find the golden fleece of honor and immortality, must with him undergoe and overcome all difficulties, dangers and obstacles; he was content to receive co•rection and instruction from Chiron the Centaure; so must good men be content to submit themselves to those who scarce deserve the name of men; and to live in holes and caves of the earth, in obscuritie, as Jason did in Chirons cave. Jason with his Argon•u•• were forced to carrie their owne ship two dayes together on their shoulders through •he deserts of Lybia; so good men th•t aime at eternall honor, must b•re con•agiously the pressures and heavie burt hens that are laid upon them. Jason passed through and overcame the dange•s of those troublesome rocks called Symplagides; s• must all good men passe through and overcome the dan∣gerous rocks of pride, lust, anger, covetousnesse, &c. Jason overcame the sirie mouthed bull; so m•st all good men overcome the sirie and sl•nderous tounges of wicked men: and so they must subdue their owne firie lusts and impotent affections. Jason mastered the Dragon, and kil∣led the armed men that sprung up of •is teeth; so must we subdu• malice and envie; and overcome with watch∣ing fasting and prayer that old red Dragon the Devill, •nd destroy all his works in us. 5. We may see how an∣ci•nt the greedie desire of gold hath bin among men, by ••is voyage of Jas•n & his Argonauts for the golden sleece, which was performed ••no mundi, 2716. and before the building of Rome, 920 years: in honor of which expedi∣tion, Cha•les Duke of Burgundie instituted the Order of the Golden Eleece. This disease in •he latter age, is come to the hoight; for now such is ••ri sa•ra sames, that men Page  125 adventure dayly beyond Hercules Pillars, even to the re∣motest Jndies for gold: and as if they had not adventured far enough, they are content to dig downe as f•r as h•ll for it; and to use Plinie• phrase, In sede Manium opes quaerimus. This made the America•s bel•eve that gold was the Chri∣stians god. 6. The ship in which Jason s•iled was taken out of the speaking grov• Dodona; for the ship sp•ke and gave good counsell to Jason, and his Argonauts, that they should avoid the danger they were in •or the murther of Absyrius, and repaire to Circe, and expi•te that murther: such a ship is the church in which we are sailing towards heaven; shee is a speaking ship, couns•lling us to avoid danger, to r•p•ir to him who is only able to •xpiate our sins. 7. Jason was the type of • good Prince; for he is commended by the Greeke poets for his feature, and sta∣ture, and strength of body, for his judgement, valour, and wisdome, for his prudence, and providence, for his pietie to Juno and Minerva, for his eloquence and vigilancy; all which vertue• are requisite in a Prince; who ought to be Jason, that is whole, or sound in body and mind; he should be married to Medaea, that is, judgment and counsell; he should be care•ull with Jason, to avoid the inchanting longs of the Syrens; that is, parasites and slatterers; hee ought to be like both to Mars and Apollo; that is, be both a good souldier and a wise man, full of M•jestie as the golden Su• is full of glory, as Orpheus describes Jason.