Dress and furniture became so extravagant during this period that the stage ridiculed the lavish expenditure, and the other censor of public morals—the pulpit—denounced the needless splendour as degrading before God and men. The Dordrecht preacher, Joh. Becius, exclaimed: “Are the pride and splendour of to-day more extreme than with the people of Israel? Certainly not; but rather worse; for women go about, not only with bare necks, but half-bared bosoms partly covered with a thin net or cambric cloth—and in the robes and dresses they are more splendid than the proud peacock, more changeable than the chameleon or the weather-cock on the church steeple. They almost dance along the streets dressed up as dolls for a _kermesse_; and these creatures, so gaily attired, vie with each other to enter the Lord’s House where is preached Christ born in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes.” Among the other vanities carefully preserved in the drawers and on the shelves were the fans, masks, lace and jewels; _châtelaines_, ribbons, hats, bonnets and caps; silk, cloth and serge stockings richly embroidered; fancy shoes and slippers with high heels, and leather and silk gloves sweetly perfumed. Vrouwe van Blyenborgh had a number of thin, beautiful, scented, leather gloves; a large stock of “shoework” of silk, satin, gold and silver leather, and yellow, green and scarlet stockings. We must not forget to mention the round silver mirrors suspended from gold hooks at the belt, and the delicately painted miniatures worn as lockets or breast-pins. The great _kas_ was as conspicuous in the houses of the Dutch colonists as it was at home. Every inventory of the prosperous burgher of New Amsterdam mentions it, and it is highly appraised. To take a few instances: “One great case covered with French nutwood and two black knots (balls) under it, £13” (1685); “a cupboard or case of French nutwood, £20” (1686); a white oak cupboard, £2 5_s._ (1688); a large cupboard, £6 (1690); cupboard for clothes, a press and porcelain, £5; and a “Holland cubbart furnished with earthenware and porcelain,” £15 (1692); a great black walnut cupboard, £10 (1702); a Dutch painted cupboard, £1 (1702); a black walnut cupboard, £9 (1703); and a case of nutwood, £10 (1712). The _kas_ was often a valued bequest: Mrs. van Varick had one “great Dutch _kas_ that could not be removed from Flatbush”; and, therefore, was sold for £25. [Illustration: PLATE XLII.—_Interior, by Jan Steen. The Hague._ ]