Tobias Rudulph.

Tobias Rudulph, the subject of this sketch, was the third person of that name and was the grandson of the Tobias Rudulph, who was one of four brothers who emigrated from Prussia and settled in Cecil county early in the eighteenth century. For many years the family took a conspicuous part in public affairs.

Tobias Rudulph’s uncle and his uncle’s cousin Michael, the son of Jacob, and the uncle of Mrs. Lucretia Garfield, very early in the Revolutionary war joined a company of Light Horsemen, which was recruited in this county and served with great bravery and distinction in Light Horse Harry Lee’s Legion in his Southern campaigns. They were called the Lions of the Legion.

John Rudulph won the title of “Fighting Jack” by his courage and audacity, both of which essential requisites of a good soldier he seems to have possessed in a superabundant degree.

Tobias, the subject of this sketch, was born in Elkton, in the old brick mansion two doors east of the court house, on December 8, 1787. He was the oldest of four children, namely: Zebulon, a sketch of whose life appears in this volume; Anna Maria, who married James Sewell; and Martha, who married the Reverend William Torbert.

Anna Maria is said to have been a poetess of no mean ability, but owing to the state of literature in this county at the time she wrote, none of her poetry, so far as we have been able to learn was published, and after diligent search we have been unable to find any of her manuscript.

Tobias studied law with his mother’s brother, James Milner, who resided in Philadelphia, where he practiced law,—but who subsequently became a distinguished Presbyterian minister and Doctor of Divinity—and was admitted to the Elkton Bar and practiced his profession successfully until the time of his death which occurred in the Fall of 1828. He was a man of fine ability and amused himself when he had leisure in courting the Muses, but owing to his excessive modesty published nothing now extant except “Tancred, or The Siege of Antioch,” a drama in three acts, which was printed in Philadelphia, in 1827. Owing to the fact that simultaneously with its publication, a drama of the same name by another author appeared as a candidate for literary favor, Mr. Rudulph—though his work was highly commended by Joseph Jefferson the elder, then in the height of his dramatic career, through the foolish fear that he might he accused of plagiarism—suppressed his drama and never allowed it to be introduced upon the stage.

Mr. Rudulph married Maria Hayes. They were the parents of four children, Amelia, James, Anna Maria and Tobias. The two first mentioned are dead, the others reside in Elkton. Until a very recent period the family spelled the name Rudulph, which spelling has been followed in this work, though the name is now generally spelled Rudolph.

Selection from Tancred.

Tancred was the son of the Marquis of Odo, surnamed the good, and Emma, the sister of Robert Guiscard who figured conspicuously in the wars which distracted Europe just previous to the first Crusade, which occurred under the leadership of Peter, the Hermit, and Walter, the Penniless, in A.D. 1096. The scene of the drama is laid at Antioch in 1097. A historian of the Crusades in speaking of the siege of Antioch, says that the wealth of the harvest and the vintage spread before them its irresistible temptations, and the herds feeding in the rich pastures seemed to promise an endless feast. The cattle, the corn and the wine were alike wasted with besotted folly, while the Turks within the walls received tidings of all that passed in the crusading camps from some Greek and Armenian christians to whom they allowed free egress and ingress. Of this knowledge they availed themselves in planing sallies by which they caused great distress to the Crusaders. The following extract comprises the third scene of the first act and is laid in the camp of the Crusaders—the chiefs being in council.

Dramatis Personae.

Godfrey of Bouillon, Duke of Lorraine.

Alexius, Emperor of Greece.

Bohemond, Prince of Tarentum.

Tancred.

Raymond, Count of Thoulouse.

Alex. The truce being ended, I propose, my friends, To-morrow we should storm the walls of Antioch— What say my worthy allies?—

Boh. If any here so base and cowardly, As to give other counsel, let him speak.—

Ray. I have known those, who foremost to advise, Were yet the last to venture on the battle.—

Boh. What means the Count of Thoulouse?—Simply this;—

Ray. That some men thoughtlessly sit down to eat, Without having first obtained an appetite.—

Boh. By the Holy Sepulchre I swear, That knight must have some stomach who maintains, What you have just now utter’d—There lays my guage—

[Throws down his gauntlet.]

If you will wear my glove, choose with what arms We shall decide this quarrel.—

[Raymond advances to take up the glove.]

God. Hold, Thoulouse, let it lay.— I do impeach Bohemond of Tarentum of base wiles, And treachery most foul, to knighthood’s cause—

Boh. Why then take you the glove.—

God. In mine own cause I do accept the challenge.—

[Takes up the glove.]

Alex. Is our league dissolv’d, and shall the holy cause For which embattled Europe is in arms, Be idly given to the scorn of men, To gratify our passions and vile feuds?— But speak Lorraine, for you have heretofore Been held the mediator in these jars— Upon what quarrel do you thus arraign Bohemond of Tarentum?—

God. A gorgeous canopy, a present from The gov’nor of Armenia I have lost— By what base means, Bohemond best can tell.—

Boh. True he can tell—and briefly thus it is— I won the silken bauble in a fight, And claim it as my spoil.—You basely stole

God. The treasure of a friend—Pancrates had The conduct of the present to my camp; You coward-like surprised him on the way, And robb’d him of my prize.—Well be it so—

Boh. (Contemptuously) I stole it, and will keep it— You may keep the glove.—

Alex. Christians, forbear, the Infidels will laugh, To know a silken toy has broke our league, And sav’d the Sepulchre—It must not be, My friends, that private discord shall cut short The work we have begun—Bohemond, no— Restore the treasure to its rightful Lord, And my pavilion shall replace the spoil.—

Boh. I do consent—provided Godfrey will Return my glove to the brave Count of Thoulouse—

Alex. That’s nobly done Bohemond—but the war ’Twixt you and Thoulouse, is a war of words— Like two pert game cocks picking at a straw, You doubt each other’s courage—then make proof Upon the Paynim forces if you please, Which is the braver man—To-morrow’s field Will afford ample scope to try your blades Upon the common enemy of each, And leave unscathed his ally—I propose, That he who first shall scale the citadel, And plant the Red-Cross banner on the walls, Shall be rewarded with the victor’s prize, And hold the government of Antioch— What says the council?—

All the Chiefs. We are all agreed.—

(Bohemond and Raymond advance and shake hands in apparent token of agreement.)

[Enter a Greek Messenger.]

Mes. The Persian succors are but one day’s march, Beyond the Orontes.—

God. Why let them come and help to bury then, Their Paynim brothers.—Friends, I give you joy— Curse on my fortune, I do much regret The iv’ry tushes of that ruthless boar, Will keep me from the contest for fair fame.— Bohemond, you shall lead my Frisons on— And doubt not but you’ll win the prize from Thoulouse.—

Boh. I thank your grace.