Louise Françoise de Bourbon

What people wore

Men's everyday clothing in the 17th century

Men wore shirts, greges (breeches reaching to the knees), stockings, a doublet, a coat, and a hat. Villagers often wore the same clothes daily, while the more well-to-do changed for Sundays and feast days.

Daily life

Cooking centered on the hearth

Cooking was typically done over a hearth, which also provided heat, though some poor urban dwellers without space or fuel relied on purchasing ready-made food from street shops.

Work

Fixed daily wages for laborers

In 1567, a royal edict set daily wages at ten sous tournois for skilled workers and five sous tournois for laborers.

Music

Portable violin for dance lessons

Dancing masters used a pochette, a small boat-shaped violin, which could be easily carried in a pocket to provide home lessons.

At the table

Simple diet of the ordinary people

Ordinary people in the Spanish Netherlands relied on a simple diet primarily consisting of rye bread, porridge, and soups made from vegetables grown in their own gardens. Meat was eaten only occasionally.

Getting around

Preparing for the dangers of travel

Because travel was grueling and often insecure, many people wrote a formal will and commended themselves to saints before departing on a journey outside their home region.

What it cost

Food prices in the 17th century

A pig cost 24 livres, while a bushel of red wheat was priced at 47 sous in the 17th century.