This order was published, accompanied by many vague reports that the Spaniards were coming against Ylocos; in consequence of which, and the friars refusing to grant absolution to the rebels, many of them deserted from Silang, particularly those of the northern towns, and on this account many of the clergy were made prisoners and conducted to Bigan, although Silang very soon liberated them; for he still affected to respect the Catholic religion, whereby he deceived the clergy, and many Indians who put confidence in him. This rebel had sent to Manila, as a present to the English, two junks, loaded with various effects, which he had plundered in the provinces. A letter accompanied this present, in which he acknowledged the King of Great Britain to be his legitimate Sovereign, and offered to deliver up the province to them. The English government sent a vessel bearing despatches, and a present to Silang, and conferred on him the title of Alcalde Mayor, which he directly made public, to the great regret of the Indians, who had urged him to deliver them from the English, and now saw themselves subjected to them under the orders of the despot, Diego Silang, who exacted from them contributions, and subjected them to more vexations than they ever suffered before; at the same time that they no longer dared to express their sentiments. As the chief magistrate of the English, and in their name, he ordered some soldiers whom he had raised from the mountaineers of other provinces, who had taken refuge at Ylocos, to make all the friars prisoners; and that there might be no resistance on the part of the towns, he promised them that the English should send them other clergy to administer the sacrament to them. The monks, who were Augustines, made no resistance, and with all possible despatch joined their Bishop in the convent of Bantay (which is merely a short walk from Bigan), waiting the ultimate determination of the tyrant. The Bishop declared Silang excommunicated; and he, pretending to be sensible of his error, granted permission to some of the clergy to return to their towns; but they had received intelligence of arrangements he had made for murdering them all, and that he was in expectation of the arrival of some infidels from the mountains to execute his wicked designs, for the Indians not only refused to lay their hands on the clergy, but were determined to die with them. They all prepared for death, without further hopes than what arose from the intentions of the principal Indians, who were making dispositions to come to their assistance; but this was delayed so long, that a Spanish mestizo, named Vicos, presenting himself to the Bishop, said, "Señor, I am going to make an end of that vile Indian; give me your benediction, that I may go and kill the tyrant." He went out of the convent, accompanied by Captain Buecbuee, with a blunderbuss in very bad condition, and reaching the house of Silang, discharged the contents in his side,