John William Friso, Prince of Orange

At the table

Alcoholic beverages replaced water for safety

People rarely drank water due to contamination risks, relying instead on wine or beer, which were considered safer because of the fermentation process. Milk was almost exclusively for small children, as most of it was processed into butter and cheese for storage.

What people wore

Women's mourning caps in Scheeßel

A woman in the Scheeßel parish typically owned about 11 different caps, five of which were used exclusively for mourning periods.

Getting around

Traveling by horse-drawn canal barge

The trekschuit, a horse-drawn barge, was the primary and most reliable way to travel between towns, often offering scheduled departures that allowed passengers to read or converse. While carriages were available, they were significantly more expensive and less comfortable due to poor road conditions.

What it cost

Weekly wages for workers and craftsmen

An outdoor laborer in the 17th century typically earned 6.50 guilders per week, while a master carpenter earned 9 guilders per week.

Music

Popular wedding dance needed the fiddle

In Weseke, a record from 1662 calls a local musician “Fidicen” (violinist) whose fiddle provided the energy for festivities, and wedding celebrations were incomplete without dancing.

Daily life

Poor lighting in winter homes

During the winter, homes were lit by poor-quality light from resin torches, tallow candles, or oil lamps with open flames.