The church at Paris, though necessarily meeting in secret, was well organized.

The people of the city assembled together in several conventicles in private houses.

By 1559 there were forty fully organized churches (_eglises dressees_) throughout France, and no less than 2150 conventicles or mission churches (_eglises plantees_).

Estimates of numbers are precarious, but good reason has been advanced to show that early in the reign of Henry the Protestants amounted to one-sixth of the population.

Like all enthusiastic minorities they wielded a power out of proportion to their numbers.
Increasing continually, as they did, it is probable, but for the hostility of the government, they would have been a match for the Catholics.