USA > New York > New York City > Dutch New York (early history of the Dutch in New York) > Part 6
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1 Sumers is "the central beam supporting the joist," sometimes called the " bearing-beam."
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ENTRANCE DOOR OF THE VAN CORTLANDT MANOR HOUSE CROTON-ON-HUDSON
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GARDENS, HOUSES, AND STREETS
into the Room at the Ends as before the fire, wch is gener- ally Five foot in the Low'r rooms, and the peice over where the Mantle tree should be is made as ours with Joyners work, and I suppose is fastened to iron rodds in- side. The house where the Vendue was had Chimney Corners like ours, and they and the hearths were laid with the finest tile that I ever see and the stair cases laid all with white tile, which is ever clean, and so are the walls of the Kitchen wch had a Brick floor.
Two years later, also, John Lawson says:
The buildings are generally of a smaller sort of Flemish brick, and of the Dutch fashion (excepting some few houses). They are all very firm and good work, and con- veniently placed, as is likewise the town, which gives a very pleasing prospect of the neighbouring islands and rivers. A good part of the inhabitants are Dutch.
CHAPTER III
COSTUME
T HOUGH the wives of the rich merchants of New Amsterdam did not pay $80 a yard for cloth of gold for a dress, as did some ladies of the period in Holland, there is evidence that they dressed in the rich style of their relatives at home. The Dutch government tried in vain to check what it con- sidered the waste of money in over-dressing, and even prohibited gold and silver fringe. Poets, too, deplored the increasing lavishness in dress, and the splendor was ridiculed on the stage, as it was denounced from the pulpit. Robes of silk, sarcenet, velvet, satin, and serge in all the fashionable hues of the day, - scarlet, purple, amaranth, fire color, rose color, dead leaf color, ash gray, and fawn and mauve, - trimmed with bows and knots of ribbons, braids, gold, silver, or silk fringes, pendants, bugles, and lace; petticoats lined with taffeta and bright with golden flowers embroi- dered by skillful fingers; black velvet lined with cloth of gold or silver; filmy ruffs and crisp, sheer caps; innumerable chains of gold and strands of pearls; gold bodkins for the hair; scented gloves and high- heeled shoes; muffs, fans, masks, and fine handker- chiefs, and a châtelaine upon the various chains of which hung scent-bottles, pomanders, writing-tablets, pencils, seals, charms, and other trinkets - formed a costume that was full of beauty, elegance, and charm.
The rich petticoat and the overdress, the sets of extra
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sleeves embellished with lace ruffles, and the flowered calicoes that came from the East, the night-rails, the love hoods, the flowing robes, the fine furs, the laces, and the jewels that we see in the portraits of the day, were sent across the ocean, or made here by native seamstresses and tailors.
Among his shop goods Dr. De Lange had an East India waxed (lacquered) cabinet with brass bands and hinges, worth £4; and within it were the delightful small trinkets that so delight the heart of woman. Gloves, ribbons, laces, fourteen fans, and seven purses were contained in the first partition; laces, buckles, and ribbons in the second; cloth in the third; caps in the fourth; garters, scarfs, bands, fans, and girdles in the fifth; fringe, calico, and silk in the sixth; silk and materials for purses in the seventh; and spectacles, etc., in the eighth. In another small " waxed East India trunk " he kept " hat bands, chains," etc.
Five women's fans are also mentioned in Cornelis Steenwyck's inventory; and three tortoiseshell combs appear in Matthew Taylor's. Mrs. De Lange had a mask, and Mrs. Asser Levy, a muff. The fan was rarely absent from a lady's hand; and from the East the folding fan arrived, with its sweet-scented sandal- wood or carved ivory sticks and its beautifully painted gauze or paper mounts. Fans were also made of rounded cardboard upon which feathers of various colors were artistically fastened.
Towards the end of the century the following arti- cles could be purchased in a New Amsterdam shop : five Holland sleeves with lace ruffles; six pairs of sleeves with Holland ruffles ; thirteen pairs of sleeves with Hol- land ruffles ; six cravats ; twenty-five cravats with neck- bands; twenty-seven with neckbands; two white hand- kerchiefs; two hats with cases; one pair of boots; one
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cane; two pairs of shoes; one bottle of Hungary water; one pair of red slippers; one girdle, four pairs of woolen mittens; five white woolen nightcaps; one pair of leather stockings; four pairs of silk stockings; one pair of yarn stockings; three pairs of woolen un- der stockings; two pairs of thread stockings; three pairs of leather gloves ; two calico stomachers; twenty- nine shirts; six calico nightcaps; fifteen linen wo- men's petticoats; three pairs of linen petticoats; one blue cloak; one calico waistcoat with white fringe; two white flannel shirts; one white lined ditto with ivory buttons; one silk waistcoat; one cloth waistcoat; two pairs of cloth breeches; two pairs of striped linen breeches; one pair of leather breeches; six pairs of coarse linen ditto; two nightgowns; nine red silk handkerchiefs; sixteen white and twelve blue handker- .chiefs; six gray neckcloths with gold; nineteen white neckcloths with gold; fifteen dozen without gold; one piece of white handkerchief; twelve pieces of gray handkerchief, half silk; nineteen ditto, red; three ditto gray, half red silk.
In another shop, in 1692, there are fourteen chil- dren's coats, six pairs of boys' woolen stockings, six pairs of men's scarlet worsted stockings, one pair white stockings, nineteen yards black gauze, three pairs of silk stockings, 1861/2 yards black crape, two dozen ivory combs, four dozen ditto, five dozen ditto, 4000 pins for lace.
One of the chief articles of a lady's dress was the petticoat. This petit cotte was originally what is now termed the skirt, over which was worn a silk, velvet, or cloth jacket, often trimmed with fur; or a kind of polonaise, the skirt of which was looped up or turned back to show the handsome petticoat.
When Washington Irving accused the Dutchwomen
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of New Amsterdam of wearing half a dozen petti- coats, he seems to have thought, in the first place, that a petticoat was an undergarment in those days, as it now is; and, in the second place, that a Dutchwoman wore all the petticoats she possessed at the same time.
The petticoat was of silk, satin, velvet, cloth, or linen, and was, moreover, sometimes trimmed around the bottom with gold or silver braid, embroidery, or lace. Wealthy ladies in Holland wore scarlet cloth petticoats, but less rich burghers' wives contented themselves with purple or blue serge, or linen. The fashionable scarlet occurs in many New Amsterdam wardrobes. The " widdow Elizabeth Partridge " in 1669 has six petti- coats; a red cloth one is valued at £2 and one of red camlet at fio. She also has a black gros grain petti- coat; a " blew silk petticoat," worth £6; and a hand- some embroidered white petticoat, worth £2 Ios. od. Mrs. Asser Levy, 1682, had six petticoats. One is described as blue, another scarlet, and a third silk, and she " also has one woman's suite with a red petticoat." Mrs. De Lange had a handsome red cloth petticoat with black lace, a black "pottosoo " petticoat with black silk lining, a black pottosoo petticoat with black " taffety " lining, a black silk petticoat with ash gray silk lining, two petticoats with gray lining, two petti- coats with white lining, one with printed lace and one without lace, one colored drugget petticoat with a red lining, one striped stuff petticoat, one scarlet petti- coat, and one under petticoat with a body red bay.
Fifteen linen women's petticoats are mentioned in John Coesart's inventory. The petticoat was worn over a large circular hoop that rested on the hips, giv- ing " a pleasant round appearance to the figure." A heavy linen underskirt was worn beneath the petticoat. Mrs. Matthew Clarkson had two white petticoats, three
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black petticoats, and one "curland petticoat with fringe."
The petticoat occasionally figures in court. The fol- lowing gives a good description of the garment. On Dec. 7, 1647, Lysbet Tyssin sued Goodman Karriman for the purchase of a red petticoat with blue lining and trimmed with cord. The matter was referred to Mr. Ochden and Lieutenant Baxter for arbitration. Again we read : Oct. 19, 1638, Declaration of Cornelis Peter- sen that Annetje Jans, wife of Rev. Everardus Bo- gardus, had sold him a hog and purchased in return of him purple cloth sufficient for a petticoat. Oct 13, 1638, Declaration by Jacob van Curler that Rev. Everardus Bogardus's wife had, when passing the blacksmith shop in New Amsterdam, placed her hand on her side and drawn up her petticoat a little, in order not to soil it, as the road was muddy.
Every Dutch lady of the Seventeenth Century owned a " rain dress," to save her skirts from getting wet ; and when the streets were dry and the rain had ceased to fall, this was tucked up in a special way to show the costly petticoat underneath. This " rain dress " ori- ginated in France, and was worn in all countries by the rich middle classes as well as by the nobility. In- stead of this garment another garment was sometimes worn, called a huik, which was a long cloak made of serge or cloth, to cover the whole dress, and which was furnished with a hood to protect the head from the rain. In other words, it was a kind of pelisse. Mrs. De Lange also owned " a black silk rain cloak," which, of course, is nothing more nor less than the fashionable huik.
Of handsome long robes Mrs. De Lange had six, known as samars: " one black silk potoso-a-samare, with lace; one black silk crape samare with a tucker ;
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one black tartanel samare with a tucker; and three flowered calico samare." The night-gown, which was so fashionable at this period, was the name given to an evening dress. "Three calico nightgowns - two flowered and one red " - are evidently made of some Eastern material. We also read of one silk waist- coat, one red calico waistcoat, one bodice, and five pairs of white cotton stockings, besides lace, sleeves, caps, hoods, aprons, and a " black plush mask."
" One embroidered purse with a silver bugle and chain to the girdle, a silver hook and eye," must have been very handsome, because it cost as much as the " black silk crape samare with a tucker " and the " two pair of sleeves with great lace." Little trinkets were probably kept in " five small East India boxes," unless the lady preserved in them the next article on her in- ventory, "five hair curlings," which were valued at seven shillings !
The apron at this period was not a mere protection for the skirt, but was considered as a decoration. The apron frequently appears in the inventories. Mrs. Part- ridge has several : a blue linen apron and three woolen aprons are of less value than some others in her ward- robe. Mrs. De Lange has six calico aprons; Mrs. Asser Levy, a black silk apron; and Ann Watkins has four aprons. Lawrence Deldyke had for sale in 1692 six dozen silk aprons with gold, four dozen black aprons with silver, and six dozen blue aprons with gold.
Mrs. Partridge had a black silk gown worth £5; a black cloth waistcoat, a handsome lace handkerchief, and a red coat and a loose gown. Among other items four silver clasps, a gold ring, and a silver button are mentioned. Mrs. Clarkson owned one stuff gown lined, one pair of " stayes," one calico gown, " one silk waist-
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coat for a woman," one " pair of gloves and topknotts," and one black crape gown.
Among Asser Levy's belongings we find " sixteen women's smocks, one bodice, one colored cassock, one velvet cassock, one hood, one muff, one black silk apron, three pair red women's stockings, two pair silk stockings, six white aprons, and twelve women's caps with lace."
The sleeve was of great importance, and was made separate from the bodice. The great slashed and puffed sleeve was worn over a lace or fine cambric or silk undersleeve, clasped here and there with gold or silver ornaments or jewels, and embellished with a lace or cambric cuff or ruffle at the wrist. Ann Watkins had, for example, in 1688, " thirty-seven pair of old false sleeves "; Mrs. Clarkson owned three pairs of sleeves and one pair of ruffles; Mrs. Partridge, 1669, a parcel of lace and laced bands, and Mrs. De Lange had " two pairs of sleeves with great lace " (£1 3s. 6d.), two pairs of woman's sleeves without lace, five pairs with inner lace, thirteen women's sleeves with lace, and "twenty- five small and great cushion sleeves." She also pos- sessed a tucker and a black silk scarf with lace.
The ruffs, or collars, were of equal importance, hav- ing reached such tremendous proportions that they extended far over the shoulders and stood up above the back of the head. In order to keep them in shape after they were starched and ironed, they were fastened on gold or silver wires. The material was the finest cambric edged with lace or point de Venise or point d' Alençon. When all the plaits of these were smoothed out, they sometimes measured sixty yards! These ruffs were extremely expensive (some of them cost as much as $4000), and were worn only by the rich; but the burghers' wives followed the styles as well as they
HALL AND STAIRWAY VAN CORTLANDT MANOR HOUSE
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could, as the portraits of the period show. The laid or turned down or flat collar was also worn; and also the crossed pleated and rounded pleated, ribbed collars. The making, undoing, washing, starching, and ironing, and remaking was no common work; and many Dutch ladies attended to the making and the doing up of their ruffs themselves.
One of the most costly articles of a lady's toilette was the stomacher, or " breast-piece," which was made of silk, satin, or velvet, and ornamented with pearls and jewels. Some of them were valued at £10,000, being beautifully embroidered or sprinkled with gems or gar- nished with lace. W. D. Hooft gives a bride four, - of velvet, satin, figured silk, and "lord's serge."
Headdresses were of various kinds. Caps of lace made into various shapes and styles, such as the com- mode, in which a series of ruffles shaped something like battlements stood erect and high above the forehead, pinners or lappets, "head cloths " wrapped around the head like hoods, " cornet caps," " drawing-caps," and hoods of silk appear in many inventories. Mrs. De Lange, for example, has sixteen cornet caps with lace, thirty-nine drawing caps with lace, eleven headbands with lace, and eleven headbands without lace. She also has twelve white hoods of love, another white love hood, three black love hoods, one yellow love hood, and five of dowlas (coarse linen ).
Ann Watkins, 1688, had "twelve capps for a woman," three " calico heads," two pinners, or lappets, for headdress, and ten headcloths. She also had an " alamode hood," which was, of course, silk. She also owned a silk lute-string scarf measuring two yards and a half. The " Widdow Elizabeth Partridge " in 1669 had a parcel of head cloths worth £2, and a "taffety hood." Mrs. Matthew Clarkson had seven plain head-
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dresses, three laced headdresses, four "pinners," and three scarves, one of which was of velvet and lined.
The Dutch ladies were fond of perfumes; highly scented powder and the essence known as Hungary water were to be found on the dressing-table, where the various cosmetics, pins, hairpins, etc., were con- veniently at hand in dainty boxes of porcelain, silver, or tortoiseshell. "A small box with some paint," found in the inventory of Mrs. Elizabeth Graveraet, widow of Dr. Samuel Drisius, looks suspiciously like a cosmetic.
Gloves were of leather, silk, cotton (calico), and white openwork thread. A lady always had a good number of " shoe-work." Her out-of-door shoes were of brown or black Spanish leather, with high red heels, called by Huygens " shell-heels." Indoors she wore red slippers, or shoes of gold or silver, leather, satin, or silk, and yellow, green, blue, scarlet, or white stock- ings with " clocks " at the side.
The jewels of the day were hair ornaments, earrings, brooches, pins, bracelets, chains, miniatures set with gems or pearls, clasps for the sleeves, finger-rings, necklaces, and, last but not least, the châtelaine of gold or silver, from which on its several chains and hooks hung the various trinkets, sewing and toilet articles, - little round mirrors, scent-boxes or pomanders contain- ing sweet powder or paste, a patch-box containing the black court-plaster cut in various shapes, all ready to replace a fallen beauty spot, bodkins, an étui case, tiny silver-bound pincushion, thimble, scissors, etc. The châtelaine was often given as a wedding-present by the father-in-law.
In some inventories we find the characteristic head ornaments that the Dutch and particularly Frisian women have worn from time immemorial, and of which Madam Knight speaks in 1707. These gold or
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silver head-wearings, ear-wearings, earrings, ear-wyers, as they appear variously, were often studded with jewels, and, if not, were adorned with pendants of delicate filigree work. These peculiar decorations are familiar to all travelers in Holland, and were far from uncommon in the New World. Let us take a few examples : Mrs. Van Varick left to her daughter Cor- nelia " two gold pieces to wear above their ears." Cris- tina Cappoens had "a gold ear pendant with ye ear jewels," the weight of which was two ounces and the value fio. This was also described as " one great ear spangle with ear jewels." Among Peter Jacob Marius's belongings we find "one gold earwyer," and "two pair gold pendants." Mrs. Jacob De Lange had a pair of gold stricks, or pendants, in each ten diamonds, worth £25; a pair of black pendants with gold hooks, and two small white pendants. Mrs. Elizabeth Grave- raet, the widow of Dr. Samuel Drisius, had " one silver head-wearing, or ear-iron," which, with a pint cup, a pint tumbler, and four spoons was valued at £5. Isaac Van Vlecq, 1688, left to his daughters two pairs of gold pendants with crystals, a gold chain, "five double," a gold bodkin, and other jewelry; and Mary Jansen, 1679, left to her daughter Elsie Leisler "a golden ear-ring."
A very handsome headdress forms a bone of conten- tion in court in 1665. The story is as follows: Pieterje Jans said she sold to Hendrickje Duyckingh's daughter, in presence of her husband, an ornamented headdress for fifty-five guilders in seawant, and that the defend- ant sent it back. She demanded that the bargain should stand good. Hendrickje said her daughter had no authority to buy such without the knowledge of her parents, as she is still under them. Hendrickje's hus- band, Evert Duyckingh, appeared and " would have
5
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nothing to do with it." He said " it is now no time to buy head dresses; also, that it is not worth so much." Parties on both sides being heard, Burgomasters and Schepens decided that the sale of the headdress should stand good, and consequently ordered defendant to pay the sum of fifty-five guilders promised therefor, to re- ceive the headdress and keep it.
Gold ornaments are very numerous, though not always described in detail. John Spratt, 1697, had gold ornaments weighing 234 ounces, which were ap- praised at £13 15s. od.
A curious case came up in court on Dec. 7, 1669, when Jan Hendricx van Gunst said that Jannetie Jacobs had a pair of gold ornaments which were heretofore stolen from him, and demanded restitution. She claimed she bought them from a Frenchwoman, whose name she did not know, and paid forty-eight florins seawant for them. Thereupon the court ordered her to prove from whom she had bought them. On Jan. II, 1670, Jan Hendricx van Gunst and Jannetie Jacobs again appeared in court, when one Elsie Barentsen de- clared that the ornaments in question formerly belonged to Aeltie Marishalls, from whom the plaintiff bought them. Barentie Moulenaers declared on oath that she heard the plaintiff say that he had not lost the orna- ments, but believed he let them fall, and that his sister found them and had seemingly sold them. Sara Peters declared she heard the plaintiff say he believed the ornaments in question were not stolen, but fallen, and were found by his sister and sold by her. On February 8, Jannetie Jacobs produced the following declarations. Harmen Hendricx van Weyen testified and declared "to have seen one fytie Dirx residing at Breukelen on Long Island wear the ornaments in ques- tion now about a year ago." Anna Dirx, wife of
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Dirck Claessen Pottebacker, declared the same in writ- ing. On March 1, 1670, the " Court found that the ornaments in question are not stolen by the defendant. However, since she cannot sufficiently prove that she bought them, but only that they were seen on Fytie Dircx, from whom defendant in the first instance de- clared she bought them, therefore the W : Court decide and order that the ornaments in question shall be de- livered to the plaintiff and retained by him, on condition of paying to defendant twenty guilders zewant and the costs incurred herein."
Diamonds seem to have been the favorite jewels of the Dutch; they sparkle in rings, lockets, earrings, chains, and pendants of various descriptions. The wife of Dr. De Lange had a jewel box described as a " sil- ver thread wrought small box, wherein: a gold boat wherein thirteen diamonds to one white coral chain (worth £16); two red stones; two diamond rings (worth £24) ; a gold ring with a clapbeck, and a gold ring or hoop bound with diamonds (worth £2 Ios. od. )." Peter Jacob Marius, 1702, has two gold diamond rings and six other rings; Dr. De Lange had two very valu- able diamond rings and a handsome gold ring, or hoop, bound round with diamonds; Mrs. Van Varick had no less than seven diamond rings; John Coesart, "a gold diamond ring and a gold hoop." Mary Jansen in 1679 left to her son Jacob a diamond rose ring; Anne Richbell, " Gentlewoman, of Mamaroneck," to her daughter, Elizabeth, in 1700, " my gold ring with an emerald stone in it "; and Cristina Cappoens has one gold rose diamond ring, worth £5. Matthew Taylor in 1687 has an enameled stone ring.
Among many instances of those whose jewel boxes were by no means empty Mrs. Margareta Van Varick is conspicuous. She has a pearl necklace, a gold chain
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with a locket with seven diamonds, a gold ring with seven diamonds, a gold ring with a table diamond, a gold ring with three small diamonds, two gold rings each with a diamond, two small gold rings with dia- monds, three more gold rings, one pair diamond pen- dants, two gold drops for the ear, two gold chains, two gold buttons, one comb tipped with gold, one pair crys- tal pendants edged with gold, two gold pins headed with pearls, one gold bodkin, one chain with gold bell, another gold bell and chain. Cristina Cappoens, 1693, owns a gold rose diamond ring worth £5 and a large hoop ring, a "chain of great beads," and " gold hooks and eyes for a night rail." Anna Vande- water, 1684, left her daughter her gold " Stricke, or pendant."
Asser Levy in 1682 had " fourteen gold rings, one gold bodkin, two silver bodkins, two pairs gold pen- dants, one silver watch, one silver hatband, two pair of silver buckles, one silver earring, one pair silver buttons, one ducatoon with a ring, one silver knife, and silver to a belt for a sword." Peter Jacob Marius had in 1702 two diamond rings, one amber necklace, four pair gold buttons, three gold chains, one bodkin, and three buckles.
Cornelis Steenwyck owned a great deal of valuable jewelry, including several gold chains. Jacob De Lange kept much of his valuable jewelry in a very costly " silver thread wrought small trunk," and, moreover, owned a watch of great value, "a testament with gilt hooks and gold hangers and a gold chain." Law- rence Deldyke owned silver shoe buckles and silver shirt buckles and a silver seal in 1692, and in 1700 John Coesart had a silver snuff-box, a silver powder- box, a silver watch, and twenty-three ounces of amber beads. Among her treasures Mrs. Van Varick owned
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" one small gold box as big as a pea," one gold medal, one small mother of pearl box, and four small boxes with beads and shells, one gold Arabian ducat, and one gold piece the shape of, a diamond.
Some pearl pins figure in a lawsuit in 1656 between two women who are evidently relatives, Helletie Jan- sen, plaintiff, versus Pietertie Jansen, defendant. The latter requested, " as defendant has bought from In- dians here within this City some goods belonging to her and her sister, that she be condemned to return the same to her on receiving what she has given therefor ; being one small box with divers linens, as a pair of linen sheets, two shirts, some frills, coifs, children's caps, pocket handkerchiefs, three pearl pins and other things, that she does not know precisely." Specimens of watches from the Rijks Museum face page 70.
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