Tomos Prys

Tomos Prys (c. 1564 – 23 August 1634) was a Welsh soldier, sailor, privateer and poet. A number of his poems, written in a mixture of Welsh and English, are extant in manuscript.

Quotes

Be meeri I see a sael
gif sias er a gefais i
owt topsaelyw lowt tipsi
gif way ar y gauafwynt
kynill agynilly gwynt.
- 'Be merry, I see a sail.
  Give chase, for all I've got!
  Out topsail, you lout tipsy!
  Give way!' In the winter storm
  We mustered and mastered the wind.
- A Poem to show the Trouble that befell him when he was at Sea (Cywydd i ddangos yr hildring a fu i ŵr pan oedd ar y môr), trans. Gwyn Williams
- Variant reading quoted by David Fraser, The Adventurers (1976), p. 121:
  Bi Miri! I see a sayl
  Gif sias, er a gefais i!
  Owt topsail, yw lowt tipsy
  Gif way, er y gauaf wynt.

Before I will, pill or part
Buy a ship, I'll be a sheaphart!
- Before I will pillage or part
  Buy a ship, I'll be a shepherd.
- A Poem to show the Trouble that befell him when he was at Sea (Cywydd i ddangos yr hildring a fu i ŵr pan oedd ar y môr), trans. Gwyn Williams