The chimney-piece always received a good deal of attention. It was very wide and high. Wood and peat were both burned on the large silver, brass, iron or steel andirons. The space in the overmantel was often painted by the best master available, or was occupied by a painting in a carved frame. On either side of the picture were sconces containing wax candles that illuminated the painting at night. The broad chimney shelf was occupied with Japanese and Chinese porcelains and lacquers; and in the summer time the pot that was suspended from a crane in the chimney was taken away and replaced by large porcelain vases and beakers. A handsome chimney cloth was usually hung just below the shelf. Being exceedingly economical, the Dutch could not easily squander money for pleasures or recreations, but for the “home” they would spend lavishly. A handsome piece of furniture or silver, beautiful porcelain, rare tulips, rich curtains and rugs, valuable paintings, fine glass, and curios from the Far East would induce the opulent Dutchman to part with large sums; and his wife spent the greater part of her life in ornamenting and beautifying the home, taking care of the treasures it contained, and, above all, in keeping the house and its contents clean and in order. A rich merchant, Asselijn, said:— _Ziet wat een fraei kasteel! wat heit het me gecost! Myn gelt is nyet verbrast aan keur van vremde cost. Voor paerden en gery en zeldzaeme sieraeden En gaf ik nyet een myt; geen bloem-fluweelgewaden Versieren ’t stinckend lyf, de logge madenzak. Myn huys is myn sieraet, myn huys myn beste pack. Daer voor is myn tresoor, daer voor myn koffer open, En wat myn huys behoeft, dat haest ick my te koopen._ (See what a beautiful castle! What a sum it costs! My money is not spent in choice of foreign viands. For horses and equipages and rare ornaments I did not spend a mite; no flowery velvet dresses Adorn the wasting body, the clumsy stomach: My home is my ornament, my house my best costume, Therefore my treasury and my coffer are open, And what my house needs I hasten to buy.) And Godewijck puts these words into the mouth of a daughter of an alderman:— _Myn stoffer is myn swaerd, myn bussem is myn wapen. Ick kenne geene rust, ick weete van geen slaepen. Ick denck aen geen salet, ick denck niet aen myn keel. Geen arbeyt my te swaer, geen zorge my te veel Om alles gladdekens en sonder smet te maken. Ik wil niet dat de maegd myn pronkstuck aan zal raken; Ick selve wrijf en boen, ick flodder en ick schrob, Ick aes op ’t kleinste stof, ik beef niet voor den tob Gelyck de pronckmadam._