a term of relation to parent. See Parent and CHILDREN.

Bartholine, Parè, Licetus, and many other writers, give an account of a petrified child, which has seemed wholly incredible to some people. The child, however, which they describe, is still in being; and is kept as a great rarity in the king of Denmark's museum at Copenhagen. The woman who was big with this, lived at Sens in Champagne in the year 1582; it was cut out of her belly, and was universally supposed to have lain there about 20 years. That it is a real human fetus, and not artificial, is evident to the eyes of any observer; and the upper part of it, when examined, is found to be of a substance resembling the gypsum or stone whereof they made the platter of Paris: the lower part is much harder, the thighs and buttocks being a perfect stone of a reddish colour, and as hard as common quarry stone: the grain and surface of this part appears exactly like that of the calculi or stones taken out of human bladders: and the whole substance, examined even so nearly, and felt ever so carefully, appears to be absolute stone. It was carried from Sens to Paris, and there purchased by a goldsmith of Venice; and Frederic III. king of Denmark purchased it of this man at Venice for a very large sum, and added it to his collection of rarities.

CHILD-Bed. See MIDWIFERY.

CHILD-Birth. A power to take a fine of a bond-woman unlawfully gotten with child, that is, without consent of her lord. Every reputed father of a base child got within the manor of Writtle in Essex, pays to the lord a fine of 3s. 4d.; where, it seems, childwit extends to free as well as bond-women.