A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Marulla
MARULLA, a young Girl of the Island of Lemnos.
The Turks having attacked the capital of this island, in the time of Mahomet II. it was defended with great vigour; even the women assisting in defence of their honours and their religion. Wounded by the stroke that had killed her father, she descended from the wall, and rushed amidst the enemy with all the vigour that enthusiasm and despair inspires; she was seconded by the garrison, who caught her fury; and the next day, when the Venetian general arrived, with his fleet, to succour the people, instead of a tle he beheld a triumph. The people in their best apparel, and the magistrates in their robes of ceremony, went to meet him, conducting their fair deliverer. Charmed with her heroism, the general commanded each soldier to make her a present; promised that she should be adopted by the republic; and offered her in marriage, any of the captains who accompanied him. Marulla replied, It was not by chance that she could chuse a husband; for the virtues of a camp would not make a good master of a family, and that the hazard would be too great.
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