A lot of pastors had already either converted or emigrated and the king was under the false impression that there remained almost no Protestants in France. In fact among the plain people, chiefly farmers, farm workers and small crafters, a lot had stayed in France, complying in a minimal way with the king's demands.
A significant number of clergy had already departed or emigrated, causing the monarch to mistakenly believe that few Protestants remained in France. In reality, many ordinary people, primarily farmers, laborers, and small artisans, stayed in France and conformed to the king's requirements to a limited extent.