Princess Amalia of Nassau-Dietz

Princess Amalia of Nassau-Dietz was a Dutch princess and the wife of Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Baden-Durlach, and mother of Charles Frederick, the first Grand Duke of Baden.

Layered skirts and hidden pockets

Ordinary women frequently wore up to six skirts layered together, which were worn and removed as a single unit known as a "pels" (fur). Beneath these layers, they secured a linen or cotton pocket, measuring 15 by 30 cm, around their waist to carry items like money or handkerchiefs.

The durable beuling and long-lasting skirts

Working-class women often used a "beuling"—a roll of fabric stuffed with horsehair tied around the waist—to shape their skirts, as it remained popular in rural areas even when other stiffening methods like "paniers" emerged. Clothing was maintained for long periods, with records showing skirts could remain in use for nine years or more.

Common instruments for dance and festivals

Common instruments for rustic dance music during this period included the fiddle (violin) and the bagpipe, which were frequently depicted in paintings of taverns and festivals. Other instruments like the hurdy-gurdy were used by itinerant beggars, while town musicians played the shawm or dulcian for official outdoor events.

The skilled egg dance tradition

The Eierendans, or egg dance, was a popular traditional dance requiring great skill, where participants danced around eggs laid in a chalk circle on the ground, often during Easter festivals. To succeed, dancers had to move the eggs in and out of the circle using only their feet while keeping them intact.

Cost and comfort classes of travel

Travelers could pay for different classes of comfort: a seat in the hold was cheaper, while the cabin (roef) offered superior accommodations for a higher price. In summer, a trip from Delft to Rotterdam cost three stuivers in the hold and three-and-a-half in the cabin.

Reliable travel by horse-drawn canal boat

The trekschuit (horse-drawn barge) was the primary and most reliable form of intercity transport, traveling at a steady speed of about 7 kilometers per hour. A trip from Rotterdam to Delft took 1 hour and 45 minutes, while the 13-hour journey from Rotterdam to Amsterdam was the longest in the network.

Cooking at the central hearth

Cooking was performed over a large, open hearth that served as the center of the home, utilizing specialized iron pots called grapen that sat directly on the coals.

Public education for boys and girls

Schooling for children was highly valued for its religious importance, with girls and boys often attending public schools together until age twelve to learn reading, writing, and simple arithmetic.

Beer as a Safe Daily Beverage

Because public water was often contaminated, people of all ages drank low-alcohol beer, known as small beer, as a safer alternative to water. Children were sometimes fed bierenbrood, which was bread boiled in beer.

Bread as the Staple Diet

Bread was the primary staple for ordinary families, often served with butter or cheese for breakfast and evening meals. Poor families relied heavily on dark, dense rye bread, while white wheat bread was a more expensive luxury.

Cost of daily necessities

The price of a kilo of rye bread was 2 stuivers, while meat cost between 6 and 16 stuivers per pound depending on the quality. A simple pair of leather shoes cost between 5 and 10 guilders.

Prices of luxury or new items

Newer items like potatoes were initially expensive luxuries, costing between 10 stuivers and 1 guilder per pound, while coffee was priced at 2 to 3 guilders per pound.

Apprentice and Assistant Wages

A printer's assistant typically earned 6 to 7 guilders per week, while apprentices earned much less, ranging from six stivers to 3 guilders per week depending on their year of training.

Bonus Perks for Apprentices

Some employers provided an annual bonus for apprentices, which could include a pair of new shoes or a new hat upon completing their apprenticeship.

Everyday mail was slow and unpredictable

While some official dispatches moved quickly using relay horses, everyday mail was often slow and unpredictable, with senders frequently unaware of when or if their letters would arrive.

Payment on delivery ensured mail security

To guarantee the reliability of letter delivery, senders often paid the shipping costs only upon delivery, marking the letter with the term 'Loont' to signal this arrangement to the courier.