Care, living environment and material culture are the main themes in this book based on the sixteenth-century orphanage archives of Zierikzee. Estate inventories, accounts and personal papers give a good picture of the life of the upper class of society in what was once - politically and economically - the second city of Zeeland. The preserved sources show that relations between Zeeland and the southern provinces during the turbulent sixteenth century were much closer than hitherto known and show how political and social developments influenced everyday life. Analysis of the material led to new insights in areas such as health care, education, clothing and the layout of stores and dwelling houses, which set aside various prevailing views. Much earlier than in Holland, new developments in art and material culture appear to have been embraced by Zeeland's urban elite.