PRITCHARD
,
MICHAEL
(
c.
1709
-
1733
),
poet
;
b.
c.
1709
, son of
Richard William
Pritchard
,
weaver
and
sexton
,
Llanllyfni, Caerns.
He left
Llanllyfni
at an early age and went to
Llan-fechell
in
Anglesey
, where he worked for many years as
gardener
in the employ of
William
Bulkeley
(q.v.)
,
Brynddu
. He was a
poet
of considerable ability and many of his works have been preserved. The more notable of his compositions were ‘
Cywydd i'r Wyddfa
’; ‘
Cywydd Marwnad Owen Gruffudd, Llanystumdwy
’
(
1643
-
1730
) (q.v.)
; ‘
Englynion Duwiol
’ (written about
1727
); ‘
Englynion i'r Dderwen y dihangodd Charles II iddi am ei hoedl rhag y Rowndiaid
.’
Pritchard
's death has been variously dated, but his friend
Hugh
Hughes
(
Bardd Coch
,
1693
-
1776
, q.v.)
, in his elegy upon him states that he d. in
1733
, aged 24, at
Llanfechell
, and was buried there
3 July 1733
.
Bibliography:
-
Y Brython
,
1863
, 205, 215;
-
The Cambrian Biography
(later ) , 1803
, 253;
-
Y Dysgedydd
,
1832
, 120;
-
Y Gwladgarwr
,
1840
, 82, 151, 176, 210;
-
Y Gwyliedydd
,
1833
, 220, 376;
-
National Library of Wales
Manuscripts
9270, 1580, 836 (69);
-
Additional Letters of the Morrises of
Anglesey (1735-86). Y Cymmrodor
, xlix, 1947-9
, (=
Y Cymmrodor
, xlix), index;
-
J. Jones (‘Myrddin Fardd’)
,
Enwogion Sir Gaernarfon
, 1922
.
Author:
Dr Moelwyn Idwal Williams, M.A., Aberystwyth
