New York State History

Each house had its dood-kamer, ¶ where the dead were placed until the funeral. Dutch ladies were famous for their at­tendance on such occasions, and, if the deceased were of their sex, burnt wine was served them in silver tankards. The funeral was always a great event, and the goedt vrouw's** skill was spent to the utmost to load her table with choicest delicacies for the dood-feest, †† the most prominent dish being the dood-koeks. ‡‡ They were thick disks about four inches in diameter, and similar in ingredients to our New-Year cakes, and were kept for years as mementos of the departed.

Each burgher had a pipe of wine spiced in re­serve for his funeral, and I regret to say the mourners were often in a mournful condition after the event; and in this connection we recall an incident. A fa­miliar name in the old Dutch times in Albany was Wyngaard. Skipper Block, in his cruise of discovery, called an isl­and he came across, Martin Wyngaard's Island, Martin Vineyards Island, cor­rupted to Martha's Vineyard; and like­wise Wyngaard's Point is now known as Vineyard Point.

The last in the male line was one Lucas Wyngaard, who died about 1756, unmarried, and leaving estate. The invitations to the funeral were general-a custom still kept up among old Dutch families in Albany-and all relatives and friends received a written invitation to be present. Of course the attendance was large, and those who at­tended returned, as was the custom, to the house, not leaving till morning's light. In the course of the night a pipe of wine was drunk, dozens of pounds of tobacco consumed, grosses of pipes broken, not a whole decanter or glass left in the house, and finally the pall-bearers ended the debauch by kindling a fire with their scarfs.

¶ Dead-chamber.

** Goodwife.

†† Dead-feast.

‡‡ Dead-cakes.