many came to the call of the king but as feared only a handful for most were reluctant and turned to look upon their own defences , and as darkness deepened many teams of wagons laden with people , old and young with the few belongings they could scavenge came slowly grinding through the wislow roads heading for the city for refuge , and even as they came clambering in the dusk and the gloom that hung in the air , horsemen could be seen charging through the procession , messengers bringing ill words of the evil that now ravaged comorus .