Here is the funeral bill of Peter Jacobs Marinus, one of the most prominent of old time New York merchants, who died in the latter part of the seventeenth century:
| £ | s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| To 29 galls of Wyne at 6s. 9d. per gallon, | 9 | 15 | 9 |
| To 19 pairs of gloves at 2s. 3d. | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| For bottles and glass broke, paid | 3 | 7 | |
| Paid 2 women each 2 days attendance | 15 | ||
| Paid a suit of mourning for ye negro woman freed by ye testator, and making | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Paid for 800 cookies & 1½ gross of pipes, at 3s. 3d. | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Paid for Speys [spice] for ye burnte wyne and sugar, | 1 | 1 | |
| Paid to the sexton and bell ringer for making ye grave and ringing ye bell, | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Paid for ye coffin, | 4 | ||
| Paid for gold and making 14 mourning rings, | 2 | 16 | |
| Paid for 3 yards beaver stuff at 7s. 6d. buttons, and making it for a suit of mourning, | 1 | 14 | 6 |
| Paid for ½ vat of single Beer, | 7 | 6 | |
| Whole amount of funeral charges is | 31 | 6 | 8 |
It should be noted that one of the perquisites of the doctor's office was the sale of spices, and on the occasion of funerals they did a thriving business.
In 1764 a reform movement swept through the northern colonies and stopped this extravagance at funerals, so that when Judge Clark died in New Jersey, in 1765, there was no drinking at his funeral. Previous to this time it was not unusual for testators to direct that no liquor should be distributed at their funeral, just as today the request is made in regard to funerals that no flowers be sent.
That the funeral of President Lincoln cost the city of Chicago over eight hundred dollars for the "mourners" was revealed lately in an old whisky and wine bill discovered by City Clerk John R. McCabe. The bill is headed:
Report of Comptroller of amount paid for wine and whisky furnished members of the legislature and the "mourners" at the obsequies of the late president, accepted and filed August 7, 1865.
| 48 bottles of wine | $216.00 |
| 12 bottles whisky | 30.00 |
| Wine for Congressional Committee | 199.00 |
| Wine & Whisky extras, Supervisors room, | 24.00 |
| $469.00 |