8. All sorts of Beds, especially Feather-beds, ought to be changed, driven, or washed, at the least three or four times in a Year; or else it is impossible to keep them sweet and clean, and to prevent the Generation of Vermin, or the other Inconveniencies before-mentioned. Would not every one condemn a Man, if he should wear a Shirt a Year, and lie in Sheets seven Years? Which if any should do, it would not either endanger his Health, or bring half the Inconveniencies on his Body, as old stinking Feather-beds do; which possibly stunk before ever they were lain on, by reason of the fulsom Excrements that the Quills of the Feathers contain. Also Feathers do certainly contain an unclean putrified Matter, that hath a near affinity with the Nature of Bugs; and therefore Feather-beds are more apt to breed them, than Wooll, or Flocks; though both will do it, if the forementioned Rules be not observed. But if you are not willing, or so lowly-minded, to have Straw or Chaff-Beds under your Quilts, then you may have Flock-Beds, with Canvas Tickings, which may be both aired and washed as often as you please, with little Trouble and Charge. If any shall question the Truth of what I have alledged concerning Beds, I desire they would please but to try the Experiment, by filling a Bed with the freshest and cleanest Straw or Chaff, which will smell very pleasant; and having so done, let them lie on it half a Year, in a corner of a Room, as Beds generally stand, and then smell to it; and in stead of sending forth a pleasant Scent, as it did at first, it will send forth a strong, fulsom, musty Steam or Fume. And if this will do so, what will Feathers do, that in the Root of Nature are unclean fulsom Excrements, of a hot strong Quality? Therefore they have the greater power not only to attract and suck in to themselves the fulsom Excrements that are breathed forth of the Body by Sweatings, and the like; but they have also power to retain such evil Vapours: and when others come to lie on them, and are thoroughly hot, it awakens those pernicious Steams, which often bring many Inconveniencies on the Body. Besides, it is very unpleasant to lie in such Beds; a Man must always be forced to keep his Nose above-board. Indeed each Mans own Bed does not stink or smell strong to himself, because he is accustomed to it; neither does a Tallow-Chandler smell those horrible Scents and pernicious Fumes that old Tallow sends forth when it is melted: But let any other Person, that is not accustomed to it, be near such things, and it will be very offensive to him. Even so it is in all other stinking Trades, and things of this nature: so that the greatest Slut in the World does hardly smell her own House or Bed stink: For in Man is contained the true Nature and Property of all things, both of Good and Evil; therefore he is both liable and also apt to receive all Impressions, and to be wrought on by all things he shall