Benigna zu Solms-Laubach

At the table

Staple diet of ordinary families

Rye bread, groats, and peas formed the staple diet of ordinary households, often supplemented by dairy, fat, and vegetables from home gardens.

What people wore

Valuable Noblewoman's Clothing

Seventeenth-century noblewomen's wills show that items like fur-lined coats, velvet dresses, and specific headgear such as caps and wimples were vital assets, sometimes valued higher than silver or jewelry.

Getting around

Winter travel equipment costs

In 1586, a villager purchased a transport sledge at the Ramygala market for ten Lithuanian groši, a common household tool for winter travel.

What it cost

Cost of Bread and Shoes

Basic items were affordable: bread cost less than one grosz, and a pair of shoes ranged from 9 to 24 grosze in the 17th century. In 1671, the price of a pair of shoes reached 19.1 grosze.

Music

Music in courts and churches

Wealthy households and courts often maintained their own musical ensembles, while churches relied on organists and vocal groups to enhance the solemnity of services.

Daily life

Parish schooling for children

Elementary parish schools were often taught by organists or bachelors, with children of both genders sometimes learning to read together. Classes were occasionally held in improvised locations, such as behind a cemetery or even in a stranger's house.