The Dutch

by Richard E. Schultz

  They were married a week later by a Calvinist street preacher after Henri, quite hypocritically, convinced the missionary that he was among the chosen. Mrs. Rudderman demanded the delay to prepare a proper wedding. She made Henri build a cedar hope chest for his bride and monitored the construction. Johanna hurriedly gathered the items any young Dutch maiden would have normally accumulated over-time for her marriage. She collected so many items of fine linens, tender hand-sewed quilts, and other bedding that they had to be neatly stacked on the top of the chest already overflowing with other useful objects. Some of those things Johanna purchased in Rotterdam, but most were gifts of her own most treasure possessions. Mrs. Rudderman wanted the couple to have all of the little extras needed to begin a life together.

  She also arranged for a wedding party at her home. One of her friends, a seamstress, made Reylana a simple white wedding dress which spectacularly highlighted her beauty. At the party, the girl’s warm and loving nature made even strangers feel they were celebrating this special occasion with an old friend. The wedding list included people Henri knew, like his former master, the magistrate and others, but the couple was surprised by the arrival of many nobles and prominent merchants from the area. These special guests were escorted into the main room and Mrs. Rudderman took special care in introducing their wives to the bride and each of these upper class ladies were impressed by Reylana’s charm and grace.

  Throughout the day a host of Rotterdam’s shipwrights and guild officials paid their respects in an area set aside for them in the garden. Henri’s peers wanted to discuss his plans to build a bigger and faster river boat, for his innovational Kaags had become a topic of conversation among shipbuilders. One builder said he had a supply of the special white oak timber Henri wanted and offered it at fair price which Henri quickly accepted. Everyone enjoyed the wedding reception that was done in the best tradition of Dutch hospitality. It was an afternoon of cheer for those who attended. Mrs. Rudderman, with help from friends, treated the guests to the best food and drink available. By the time the party was over, the parlor of the main house was overflowing with gifts, including gemstones usually reserved as wedding presents for nobility. What made the new bride even happier were the many invitations she received for future visits to the homes of influential nobles and merchants from as far away as Delft.

  The day long celebration actually ended around midnight. Mrs. Rudderman and the couple sat alone at the kitchen table when everyone finally left. The table was cluttered with leftover honey cakes and waffles. Henri had developed a taste for confections and was sampling each of the leftover delicacies. Such sweet cakes were generally reserved for special occasions. Reylana, still in her wedding dress, was now wearing her large wooden crucifix. Henri knew the wooden image of Jesus, like those depicting the saints, was considered blasphemous for people like Mrs. Rudderman and was surprised at Reylana’ insensitivity. With a smile, she took the cross from around her neck and almost lightheartedly placed it on the table while telling Henri to get a paring knife from the kitchen. When Henri returned, Reylana placed the blade between the figure of Jesus and the cross itself and began to gently pry the figure from the cross. It was secured by three wooden pegs, two at the hands and one at the feet. After a few moments, the pegs began to recede and finally, with a snap, the figure and the cross separated. She put the figure aside and examined both horizontal holes in the wood, before she began probing one side with the tip of the knife. She was finally able to pull a mildewed piece of cloth from around the opening. She tilted the cross face down on the table, gently tapping one side. To the surprise of Henri and Johanna ten small perfectly cut diamonds rolled onto the table. Reylana pushed eight diamonds toward her new husband and told him it was her dowry. She pushed the remaining two diamonds toward Mrs. Rudderman telling her the two were but a sparkle of her gratitude. Reylana then handed the figure of Jesus and the cross to Henri, telling him the hole by the feet contained a similar treasure which she hoped they would retain for their children. Mrs. Rudderman almost immediately tried to push the two diamonds back toward Reylana, but the girl stopped her by gently placing her hands on Johanna’s and the two women began to cry.

  Weeks later, after only a few visits to the homes of the wealthy merchants they met at their wedding, Reylana adopted the same ideas of personal hygiene the upper classes were embracing. The Dutch elite had fewer servants than their counterparts in England and France, but those they hired usually were employed to keep their houses and clothing spotless. The homes of the well off in Rotterdam in the mid 1500’s usually had an adequate supply of clean water for cooking, bathing and washing. The back yards of the wealthy often contained covered trenches for the disposal of sewage and human waste. Reylana’s growing association with the nobility and upper merchant class reinforced her desire for frequent bathing and spotless, fashionable clothes. Henri assumed her childhood experiences in an upper class Spanish household had much to do with that growing obsession. Following the wedding, the first thing Reylana did was to have the journeymen plank over the earthen floor of their cabin. She also had an outhouse built near the riverbank and had Henri instruct the workmen to use it. Henri soon agreed that the sweet smell of freshly cut wood and salty sea air that now wafted through the shipyard was much better than the fouler odors of random human droppings.

  Reylana next decided that a frequent bath was essential for her self-esteem and her social interaction in the city. She purchased the largest bowl available at the copper market to serve as a bath tub, which she used almost religiously, despite the labor involved in drawing water from the well and heating it in the fireplace. These frequent baths revitalized her spirit, particularly when Henri also dipped himself into the leftover water. Although Reylana seemed sweet and innocent in public, she was totally uninhibited after these baths. She moved freely about the room exhibiting her nude body like a merchant displaying his goods in the market place. This playful bathing ritual helped intimacy and led to spontaneous sensual moments which the couple kept secret behind the cabin’s latched door. For Henri the openness of their sexual relationship was far different from the more discreet relationship of his parents or the lifestyle suggested by the priest in his Sunday sermons that always equated sex with original sin.

  Henri knew the sexual mores of his own society were quite strict. Catholics and Protestants alike considered all fornicators, even married couples, to be grievous sinners. Such thinking could probably be traced to a single flaw in Saint Augustine’s near-perfect revitalization of Christian theology. That good Saint, once a long-term sinner himself, was very instrumental in changing that definition of fornication. Instead of condemning only those having sex outside the covenant of marriage, it also included married couples, who had sex for pleasure, rather than for the procreation of God’s children. After it became apparent that Reylana was pregnant, Henri feared the unborn child might become an excuse to follow the stricter religious mores of the time. His fears were groundless as the excitement surrounding the coming birth intensified their love making and left their sex life remained unchanged, if not even more fulfilling.

  Meanwhile, Henri was noticed as one of Rotterdam’s most innovative shipwrights. This was because of both Mrs. Rudderman’s marketing skills and the pure performance of the Kaags he converted. The purchase of the last of the Kaags were restricted to the most active nobles and merchants in Rotterdam. The boats were easy to recognize because the cabins were known for their yellow color and with triangular motif adornment despite the added cost of the expensive paint. Rambunctious owners liked to show off their boats speed and maneuverability to other vessels met on the waterways. These encounters made the Kaags more conspicuous and made it seem like Henry had converted more than eight. Most owners, at Johanna’s suggestion, added a table, a bench and a small cooking stove to make trips more comfortable. The crafts were well known as a pleasant means of transportation, and other small boat builders tried to duplicate their design.


  Henri’s ultimate project was to build a larger and more spacious version of these vessels, his own true Jachtschip. This new type of craft with deeper water capabilities would have a practical and recreational appeal to people of means. He had finished the plans for the “precious prototype” as Reylana called it, a number of times, but knew it must be built far from the prying eyes of his competitors. To do that, he would have to work in the privacy of a secure boathouse that would be large enough to house the entire construction process. While the boat yard had reaped a windfall of profits from the sale of the Kaags, building a quality boathouse would be costly and leave Henri and Johanna without income until the first Jachtschip was sold and even Henri’s inheritance would not be enough to complete the project. It was Reylana who suggested they finance the shortfall for the new boathouse by selling some diamonds.

  Since the wedding Henri and Reylana had frequently been invited to the homes of wealthy Christian merchants and many noble families. Reylana was a natural fit at dinner parties. Their hosts sensed that having the personable Reylana in attendance helped others guests enjoy themselves. As a result, the newlyweds were being welcomed to the most prestigious events on Rotterdam’s higher-class, social calendar. Remarkably, they were also invited to the homes of prominent Jewish families who shared Reylana’ Spanish heritage. They were often the only Christians in attendance, but always warmly received by these Jewish families who controlled a great deal of Rotterdam’s capital. Reylana believed these new friendships could have positive economic consequences. The first time this proved to be true was when she sold the diamonds with the help of one of their Jewish friends who were prominent in the gemstone industry. At that time in history, the diamond guild was the only guild open to Jewish membership. This friend helped the couple receive the highest possible return on the sale. All ten were sold because Johanna insisted on contributing her diamonds to the boathouse project. Reylana had requested she be allowed to invest whatever funds were left over after the expense of the boathouse was deducted from the money received. Henri originally consented but was surprised when more than half the proceeds of the diamonds were available for Reylana’s investments.

  Jews were the venture capitalists of Holland, supplying most of the Dutch guilders needed for funding the maritime trade. They were the first business people in the Low Countries to make practical use of partnerships which bound investors together with individual shares in a venture. This system allowed financial risk to be distributed among many people. A single lost ship or cargo never jeopardized an entire investment, but allowed shareholders to still reap a tremendous profit when one of the ships returned safely home. Reylana’s Jewish friends were among the most successful venture capitalists and gave her an opportunity for a good return by joining their partnerships. She began by buying shares in a few investments and closely monitoring each.

  It had taken a skilled team of builders from the Carpenter’s Guild only four months to complete the boathouse. Henri decided the first jacht would be built with a single sail and bow sprint until he found a really practical system for raising and lowering multiple sails. An additional journeyman and laborer were hired to help build the first prototype. Henri’s final design called for a sleek, fast, longer craft with triple the cabin space of the smaller Kaags. A deeper keel, a single tall mast, rigged with a medium weight sail, and a tapered bow sprit were all included. The work progressed quickly and the launch of the first true Jachtschip caused a sensation along the Rotterdam waterfront. It also unexpectedly created a bit of turmoil within his household. The Jacht was immediately recognized as the fastest and most beautiful ship on the estuary. The elite of Rotterdam society openly competed to purchase the craft. Johanna declined each new astronomical offer as she spent every moment she could sailing the first true Jacht. Johanna really believed that this Jacht was the first giant step toward building God’s perfect sailboat though she knew Henri was designing a class of jachts that would be even better. Henri had found an entire shipload of the exceptional weathered oak he needed, but Johanna’s procrastinations left the shipyard without the funds to pay for the timber, and Reylana had invested all her funds and could not help. Eventually, reason prevailed, and Johanna reluctantly sold the first jacht and Henri was able to purchase the timber.

  That jacht would be the last ship Henri would be forced to build with his own resources. Clients were now willing to pay a substantial part of the contract price in advance and wait patiently for their jacht to be completed. Before long, Henri was able to use shipyard profits to build a second boathouse. He contracted for an apprentice and hired another journeyman making each new jacht larger and more innovative. Henri invented a sophisticated pulley system that allowed a single person to lift and lower sails while steering. The jachts, like the converted Kaags, were easy to recognize, as all of them had yellow cabins with the triangular motifs that had become Henri’s trademark.

  Within ten years, Henri was building fast and sturdy ships with multiple masts well suited for both the inland waterways and the open sea. Some customers found other uses for Henri’s jachts. His faster models were used to smuggle goods between the Netherlands and England. His designs progressed to deeper, longer hulls, and each new model had increasing amounts of cargo space. His first tri-mast designs were copied by other shipwrights who made improvements to create a popular model for sea voyages. Some Dutch and English explorers used these type vessels to sail to the New World. When armed with a few cannons, these fast and highly maneuverable ships could discourage piracy off the Dutch coast. These Jachtschips had the speed to overtake and punish pirates and recapture stolen merchant ships. At a time when Henri’s jachts were most in demand, the Rotterdam Guild limited his timber allocations, for his jachts were now considered seagoing vessels. With the new restrictions, Henri could no longer outbid his peers for lumber and timber and was forced to turn to them for a share of their allocations in return for a portion of his profits. While it reduced the shipyard’s income, it had little effect on his family’s finances because Reylana became a very successful person in the business community.

  After the birth of their first son Teewes, Johanna pressed Henri and Reylana to move to the big house. While Reylana was a competent and loving mother, Johanna proved to be an extraordinary grandmother who cherished her new role as a gift from her All-Powerful God. A second son, Petrus, was born less than a year later. Having Johanna in the house along with the services of a neighboring milk maid who would sometimes breast feed both children was fortunate as it gave Reylana some respite from motherhood. This allowed her to attend to her growing business interests in the city. Despite her busy pace, she remained a romantic and affectionate wife, though Henri wished she spent more time with him and the children. Henri didn’t attempt to limit her activities, for Johanna cared for the boys in Reylana’ absence and cherished her role as a grandmother.

  Reylana had multiplied her original capital, thanks to the sound advice of her Jewish friends. Soon she developed a knack, on her own, for finding good places to reinvest money. She helped Henri and Johanna get a good return on the profits earned at the shipyard. Reylana earned a reputation for success in an expanding market whose venture partnerships were attracting people of lesser means. She was admired for her business judgment and served as an intermediary between wealthy Christian investors and the Jewish traders who dominated the field. Sometimes Reylana received a finder’s fee when she arranged an investment. Henri was proud of his wife’s success but sometimes wished she was as happy at home as she was in Rotterdam. Henri wanted more children, but for ten years they were limited to only the two boys. He did not know that Reylana’s business dealing would soon become hazardous to their household.

  Reylana had realized a high return in the Baltic grain trade by investing in cargoes that arrived during the months when local grain supplies were almost depleted. She soon took ever larger shares in ships moving well-bred Frisian milk cows t
o France, where they were greatly valued for their ability to produce high volumes of curd. The problem with the trade in livestock was the high rate of death among the animals in transit. To keep more animals alive, Reylana hired dairy farmers rather than sailors to load and care for her cows during transit, and the profits on her cargoes escalated. She also took major positions in less ethical partnerships that smuggled Dutch goods into England and returned laden with wool, which was sold to cloth manufacturers in Holland, who competed with the established textile industry in Flanders. Reylana, at Henri’s urging, sold her shares in these partnerships just before an English crackdown on smuggling. It occurred at the demand of the Flemish textile manufacturers who feared losing their monopolies. The English confiscated ships and caused many crews to jettison their cargo to avoid arrest. Reylana’ remaining shareholders suffered heavy losses, but her timely departure enhanced her image among the venture capitalists. After this near debacle, Reylana wisely curtailed her business activities for the next year to shipping Frisian war horses to Brussels for Emperor Charles V’s growing army.

  Reylana had an occasional reckless streak and soon became involved in a venture that might have ended her life if the local Royal Authorities had not been susceptible to large bribes. Reylana and her partners had outfitted three jachts built by Henri’s competitors and sent them into the Baltic Sea. These three very fast ships used their exceptional speed to slip past Sweden and Demark and continue on to Russia. At the time the Russian fur trade was controlled by the English with the support of Swedes and Danes, who because of their geographical location, were able to hold competitors at bay for a share of the English profits. Ivan the Terrible had just assumed power in Russia; the nation was in flux, which allowed the three Dutch ships to purchase shiploads of Russian furs previously promised to English traders. The speed of the Dutch ships allowed them to escape pursuers and return home with their cargoes intact. Since they were the first Dutch ships to break the English monopoly on the Russian fur trade, they received a jubilant and well publicized welcome upon their return to Holland.