Henriette Marie of the Palatinate

What people wore

Detachable Sleeves and Costs

Women used separate sleeves that were pinned or tied to their bodices, with prices such as 12 stuivers for gray satin sleeves and 8 stuivers for shorter ones.

Daily life

Split Doors Kept Children Safe

Families often used split doors, which allowed the top half to be opened for fresh air while keeping the bottom half closed to keep animals out and small children safely inside.

Work

Long working hours from dawn until night

Working days were grueling, typically lasting from 5 am in summer and 6 am in winter until 8 or 9 pm, often with only short breaks. Sunday was generally the only day off.

Music

Music in daily Dutch life

The Dutch enjoyed music at home in small amateur groups called Collegia Musica or during family gatherings, while common folk played instruments like fiddles, bagpipes, and hurdy-gurdies at taverns, weddings, and seasonal festivals. Songs were integral to daily life, with maids singing during housework and lullabies used to put children to sleep.

At the table

Beer as a daily necessity

Beer was the standard drink for everyone, including children, because polluted water made it dangerous to consume. People drank a low-alcohol version called small beer, with annual per capita consumption estimated at around 280 liters.

Getting around

Forcing a boat departure with money

Before the major canal network expansion in the 1630s, travelers between cities often used small, irregular ferries where boatmen would only depart once they had collected enough cargo or passengers were willing to pay the difference to force an immediate departure. Early efforts to regulate this, such as a 1605 ordinance in Delft, required passengers to pay 24 stuivers for a one-way trip to force a boat to leave.

What it cost

Wages and purchasing power

An outdoor laborer earned about 6.5 guilders per week, while 100 guilders could purchase roughly 2,535 pounds of rye bread or 570 pounds of meat.