If we wait on him in a body, all those who come under the appellation of slaves, or are held in bondage, will follow us in the hopes of being free. When the king shall see us, we shall obtain a favorable answer, or we must then seek ourselves to amend our condition.” These promises stirred up those in the counties of Kent, Essex, Sussex, and Bedford, and the adjoining country, so that they marched toward London; and, when they arrived near, they were upward of sixty thousand. They had a leader called Wat Tyler, and with him were Jack Straw and John Ball: these three were their commanders, but the principal was Wat Tyler. This Wat had been a tiler of houses, a bad man, and a great enemy to the nobility. When these wicked people first began to rise, all London, except their friends, were very much frightened. The mayor and rich citizens assembled in council on hearing they were coming to London, and debated whether they should shut the gates, and refuse to admit them; but, having well considered, they determined not to do so, as they should run the risk of having the suburbs burnt. The gates were therefore thrown open, when they entered in troops of one to two hundred, by twenties or thirties, according to the populousness of the towns they came from; and as they came into London they lodged themselves. But it is a truth that full two-thirds of these people knew not what they wanted, nor what they sought for: they followed one another like sheep, or like the shepherds of old who said they were going to conquer the Holy Land, and afterwards accomplished nothing. In such manner did these poor fellows and vassals come to London from distances of a hundred and sixty leagues, but the greater part from those counties I have mentioned, and on their arrival they demanded to see the king. The gentlemen of the country, the knights, and the squires began to be alarmed when they saw the people thus rise; and if they were frightened they had sufficient reason, for less causes create fear. They began to collect together as well as they could.