Rinuccini's ban weighed heavily upon him. It was this that separated him so long from his natural ally, while it did not prevent him from helping Monck and Coote. 'The Bishop of Raphoe and Sir Nicholas Plunket,' wrote Daniel O'Neill, 'have agreed upon an expedient about the excommunication which has so troubled that superstitious old uncle of mine in his sickness that I could render him to no reason.' The expedient was a letter signed by Plunket and Barnewall on behalf of the nuncio's opponents in the late Confederation, who agreed to petition the Pope to remove his censure, and also to write a sort of apology 'in a loving and friendly manner' to Rinuccini himself.[152] [Sidenote: Siege of Wexford, Oct. 1-11.] [Sidenote: Ulster troops in the town] [Sidenote: Proposals of the governor.] [Sidenote: Terms offered by Cromwell] After a few days' rest in Dublin, Cromwell marched towards Wexford. Fortified posts near Delgany, at Arklow, 'which was the first seat and honour of the Marquis of Ormonde's family,' and at Limerick, 'the ancient seat of the Esmonds,' were taken without firing a shot. Ferns and Enniscorthy also surrendered without resistance, and on October 1 the army came before Wexford, where there was a garrison under Colonel David Synnott, who was an old adherent of Preston, and therefore not very popular with the townsmen, who had favoured the nuncio. Two days later a summons was sent in the usual terms 'to the end effusion of blood may be prevented,' and Synnott was willing to parley, but Cromwell refused any truce during negotiations, 'because our tents are not so good a covering as your houses.' It was arranged that four persons should come out under safe conduct, but while Cromwell was expecting them Castlehaven managed to introduce 1500 Ulster foot on the north side of the town, and Synnott then changed his mind. The safe conduct was withdrawn, and in the meantime Jones led a party of horse and foot round to the long point of Rosslare, at the end of which was a fort whose defenders at once took to the water and were all captured by the Parliamentary fleet. The weather was rough, and it took some days to land the siege train, but all was ready by the evening of the 10th. The battery was placed at the south-east corner of the town opposite the castle, which was outside the wall, Cromwell seeing that if it was once taken the town could make little further resistance. After nearly a hundred shots had been fired, 'the governor's stomach came down,' and he sent out four representatives on safe conduct with written propositions, which Cromwell forwarded to Lenthall 'for their abominableness, manifesting also the impudency of the men.' The principal demands were that the inhabitants should for ever have liberty publicly to profess and practise the Roman Catholic religion, retaining all the churches and religious houses without interference, that Bishop French and his successors should have full