May 14, 1715, the Cartago municipal council and the regular and secular clergy ruled in favor of Lacayo. Friar Pablo de Otarola, abbot of the convent of San Francisco de Cartago, certified that the statement presented by the bishop was false and added that a great infamy had been committed. On November 15, 1718, due to the accusation by the interim government Lacayo was ordered by the Audiencia to leave Costa Rica. He left Costa Rica disguised as a Franciscan friar to avoid persecution. In June 1720, the order was rescinded and Lacayo was declared an honest, pure and justified minister, worthy of his Majesty's support. He was honored with employment by the Crown and rewarded for his service. Lacayo built the San Francisco de Esparza convent at his own expense. His previously confiscated property and the initial 2,000 ducats which he had been fined were returned. The Audiencia indicted Lacayo's accuser, Pedro Ruiz de Bustamante, and the Church excommunicated the monks who had perjured themselves. Commander-in-chief of the army After many years of service to the crown, in 1740 Nicaragua was attacked by Mosquitos and English General Handyse. On November 21, 1740, Lacayo was appointed governor of the province of Nicaragua. En route to León, the governor was informed of an insurrection of the mulatto Antonio Padilla, captain of the mulatto soldiers. Lacayo confronted him and sentenced him to prison and finally, condemned him to death. Since Padilla was in a chapel, there were disturbances and in the middle of the night, the governor ordered him to be clubbed. At the order of Lacayo, the mulatto Padilla was dismemberedand his head and leg were placed on public display. This was a clear message to those who did not want to obey the representatives of the crown. The governor was a very active man, conducting an inventory of all armaments and establishing quarters in León and Granada to confront the English invaders. The Audiencia reinforced the province with one hundred guns, fifty quintals of powder, six thousand bullets and other ammunition. In spite of this, the English incursions caused terror in northern departments of the province. To deal with this, the Spanish Court responded by sending to Nicaragua 800 guns, twelve pieces of artillery, ammunition, money, one hundred soldiers of the line of Havana with officers, sergeants and artillerymen, a galley and other aid. King Felipe V ordered that they