text:  "Many and various " says Rycaut in his quaint narrative "were the valiant assaults and sallies the traverses extraordinary the rencounters bloody the resistance vigorous not known or recorded in any siege before;" and the struggle continued with unabated fury on both sides till the approach of winter; while after each unsuccessful assault the Venetians emulating the ferocity of their enemies displayed the heads of the slain and prisoners (for no quarter was given or taken) in barbarous triumph from the wall