The government was frankly theocratic. Said Winthrop (1637): " We see not that any should have authority to set up any other exercises besides what authority bath already set up "; and a synod at Cambridge in 1637 catalogued eighty-two " opinions, some blasphemous, others erroneous and all unsafe," besides nine " unwholesome expressions," all of which were consigned " to the devil of hell from whence they came."

The country is divided into three parts, of very different character and climate: the coast is sandy and very hot, without much vegetation except date palms; it has no good harbours, and the climate is very unwholesome; the population is scanty.

The old sewers were found quite inadequate to carry off the large increase of water, and besides they all led directly into the bay, causing a terrible odour and rendering the water near the town unwholesome for bathing.

The immediate result of this concentration of people in a spot so unwholesome was the prevalence of disease, produced by the appalling sanitary conditions.

It is not necessary to the promotion of this manufacture that the spinners and weavers should be congregated in large towns, or united in crowded and unwholesome factories.