Part 6

To such as have, and would destroy them, I shall now proceed to give full Directions. In order to do it effectually, and to lessen your trouble, the first necessary thing to be known, is their Marks.

Buggs, tho’ nasty to us, are so cleanly to themselves, that they quit their places of Harbour to come out and dung, and their Excrements leave a Mark or Stain like that of a Fly, but somewhat blacker; and wherever you see such Marks, if on Wood, look for the nearest Crevise, Knot, or Streak; if on Walls, for the nearest Crack or Hole; if on Furniture, for the nearest Seam, Lace, Tape, or Fold, and there assuredly are the Vermin, and there apply the Remedy.

In Winter-time, few, if any, are to be found by day-light in the Furniture of a Bed; but in the Wood-work, Wainscot, or Walls only.

In the Summer they are all over, and every Lace, Tape, Seam and Fold must be examin’d, as well as the Crevises, Joints, and Carving in the Wood-work, for the Marks, and the Remedy applied accordingly.

In Winter-time, though they lie in pretty close Quarters, yet are they easily destroy’d with any thing that will attract or entice them to it.

If no such thing you have, give me leave to recommend my Liquor; on the Application of which, at all Seasons of the Year, they will come out, and immediately die before your Face.

In Summer they lie in more open Quarters, and spread, and then are not in any measure to be reduced, but by such Liquors as you may safely touch the Furniture with all over: if none such you have, you may depend that mine will not stain or any way hurt the richest Velvet, Silk, or Stuff, not even Scarlet, which almost every thing else will do.

On account of these excellent Qualifications, the Liquor has its Name of Nonpareil, and of this, if minded to do it yourself, you may have a Bottle for 2 s. sufficient for a common Bed, with plain Directions how to use it effectually.

If the Trouble of doing it your selves be disagreeable to you, you may have it expeditiously done by me or my Servants, and your Beds, or such Part as is necessary, taken down and put up again in full as good, if not better Order, than they were before, and alter’d, (if I see Opportunity or Occasion) and made to draw out, on my usual easy Terms.

As I have occasionally mention’d what Sort of Beds I would have you avoid, give me leave to add and assure you, that Beds may be made full as warm as usual, and very ornamental, and yet be so very handy, as that any one of your own Servants might take all down and clear them of Buggs, Dirt, and Dust, and put them up again in a quarter of an Hour; and to this Fashion most Beds may be alter’d, several Persons having lately done so by my Directions to their very great Satisfaction.

Those that have a mind to have new Beds thus made, or old ones alter’d, are to observe, That the Head-posts of the Bedsted are to be no higher than just to support a Wainscot Head-board, the Tester-lath supports the Rod as usual; in the Rail are to be nine Holes drilled in, but not quite thro’; the two at the Head, to take off and hang on, (at Pleasure,) two Upholders drove into the Wainscot or Wall; in the other seven, thro’ Eye-let Holes, at proper Distances in the Tester-cloth, are to be seven Balls or carved Branches to keep the Tester-Cloth tight; to which the Head-cloth, and inside and outside Vallens are to be fixed: so that by taking the Lath of the Upholders, and taking out the Balls, they all come off together; and thus made, may be commodiously and immediately clear’d, clean’d, and put up again, to fasten on the Head-board: And keep your Head-cloth down tight in its Place and Form. You have Hooks and Eyes to take on and off at Pleasure.

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Persons wanting to be clear’d and kept free of those nauseous venomous Vermin, shall be attended by the Author on the following Terms, viz.

To clear a Bed-sted with Moulding-Tester, Wood Head-Cloth, Head-board and its Furniture, 10 s. 6 d.

Bed-steds with single-rais’d Tester, Moulding, Head-Cloth, Board and Furniture, or Chair-beds and Furniture, 8 s. each.

Bed-steds with ditto Tester, plain Head-cloth, cover’d Head-board and Furniture; and Field-beds and Furniture, at 7 s. each.

Four-post Bed-steds, or Canopy-beds, with plain Furniture, 6 s. each.

Press-beds, Chest of Drawers Beds and Bed-steds, without Furniture, 5 s. each.

Wainscot Walls, Hangings, &c. behind and near the Bed-sted are clear’d with the Beds at the above Prices: but if spread all over the Room and Furniture, then an additional Price is expected.

For Expedition and Safety, and to prevent Trouble to his Customers, or Impositions on them or himself, the Author takes his own Servants with him, to take down and put up such Parts of Beds, Wainscot, Hangings, &c. as he finds necessary; and always puts them up in full as good, if not better Order, than he finds them. Of his Servants he has good Security, and will be answerable to his Customers, for their Fidelity.

N. B. If he any ways damages the Furniture, he will pay for the same.

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Persons about taking Houses, Lodgings, or buying Furniture, paying for Surveying, shall be attended, and at first View be justly and truly inform’d if the Premisses be Buggy, or free from Buggs, by

JOHN SOUTHALL,

At the Green-posts in the Green-walk near Faulcon-stairs, Southwark.

FINIS.

Just publish’d, (the Fifth Edition of,)

I. A Dissertation concerning MISLETOE: A most wonderful Specifick Remedy for the Cure of Convulsive Distempers. Calculated for the Benefit of the Poor as well as the Rich, and heartily recommended for the Common Good of Mankind. To which is added, A SECOND PART, containing farther Remarks and Observations. By Sir JOHN COLBATCH, a Member of the College of Physicians. Price 1 s. Printed for J. ROBERTS, in Warwick-Lane.