| "Numerous coins, weights, and measures are mentioned in the Dutch records. A list of such terms and their values were prepared by A.J.F. van Laer and included as an appendix to The Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts published 1909. However, in the thirty years following publication of that work, Mr. van Laer uncovered much additional information which he noted in his copy of the book. The following charts incorporate material selected from the original list and from the annotations. It should be noted that there were no universal standards in the seventeenth century, as is evident from several of the following terms from which Mr. van Laer cites numerous variations in value." - Charles T. Gehring |
Weights |
Amsterdam ons | 1.085 ounces avoirdupois | Amsterdam pond | 1 pound, 1.36 ounces avoirdupois | last | 4000 pounds |
| 1. Van Laer cites from various sources figures in meters of 7420, 7407.41, and "about 7407." | 2. Van Laer quotes one source which gives the Holland mile as 5.5556 kilometers and the uurgaans as 5.651 kilometers. He also mentions an old Dutch mile of 5358 meters. |
Square Measures |
Amsterdam morgen | 600 square roeden |
| 2.069 acres | mudde | In the western part of Drenthe, the word mudde is used as a square measure of land, equalling 212 and 1/4 square roeden; elsewhere, 160 square roeden. | schepel | The land that can be sown with a schepel of rye | Rhineland morgen | 600 square roeden |
| 2.103 acres |
Dry Measures |
hoed, hoet | 33.25 bushels of coal | honderd | 704.32 bushels of salt | last | 36 zakken, 27 midden, or 82.512 bushels of wheat |
| 108 schepels | last of salt | 28 heaped up wheelbarrows' full | mudde, mud | 4 schepels or 3.056 bushels of wheat | mutsje | 1/4 liter | schepel | 0.764 bushel wheat |
| 1.29 bushels salt | ship's last | 3.72 cubic yards |
| 100.17 cubic feet or 2 and 1/2 tons burden | smalton | 1/12 last or 6.876 bushels of wheat | spint | 1/4 schepels | vat | 4 schepels or 5.16 bushels of salt | vim, vinne | 104 to 108 sheaves | zak | 3 schepels or 2.292 bushels wheat |
| Return to Cowboy Johnny's Big Ancestral Roundup Homepage |