SECT. CCXVIII.
SOlomon being now come to Jerusalem, a very difficult case was brought before him, in the deciding of which he gave a great evidence of that extraordinary wisdom the Lord had furnisht him with. There came to him two women that were (as it seems) Victuallers by profession, but secretly Harlots, and one of them said to him, O my Lord the King, this woman and I dwell together in the same house, and I was deli∣vered of a child, she being present at my Labour, and three days after she was deliver∣ed of a child also, and both our children were boys; and we were all alone in the house, there was no stranger with us: And thus (O King) it happened (as I verily believe and am confident) this woman over-laying her own child in the night, and awaking and finding it dead by her, and being afraid of the disgrace that was like to fall upon her for her carelesness about her child, she to avoid that came secretly (as I have reason to believe) in the dead of the night and took my Son from my bosom whilst I was fast asleep, and laid her dead child in my bosom in the room of it; for she had rather (I suppose) have a living child (though anothers) than her own dead, and had rather nurse up my child instead of her own, than have it said, that by her own care∣lesness and negligence she had been the cause of the death of her own Son. And when I arose in the morning to give my child suck, behold I found it dead, but when I had better considered of the matter, and laid circumstances together, I found it was not my Son that I did bear; and I hope I shall find so much justice from the King as to re∣turn my own child to me again. Then the other woman spake for her self and said, Nay but my Lord, O King, let this woman say what she will I do peremptorily affirm that the living child is my Son, and the dead is hers. Thus they contested before the King, both the one and the other challenging the living child for hers; the case was very difficult, for first both the children were almost of an age: 2ly, Their features in their infancy might be something alike: 3ly, No body was by when this fact was done, that might give evidence on either side: 4ly, The mother that challenged the li∣ving child confessed she was asleep, and so did not see when her child was stollen away: 5ly, The parties contending for the child were of a like reputation, the one deserving no more credit than the other. All these things considered, the case seem'd so difficult that one would have thought the wit of man could not determine it. Solomon having heard what they said on both sides, according to the wisdom that God had given him presently call'd for a sword, and bad one of his servants take the living child and divide him in twain, and give half to the one, and half to the other. But the woman whose the living child really was, found her bowels so yerning upon this, that she cried out, O my Lord, give her I pray thee the child, let her take him whole, in no case di∣vide him; I had rather she should have him whole than that he should be slain. But the other woman being of an envious disposition, and not willing that her neighbour should