Arthur Hall (English politician) facts for kids
Arthur Hall (born 1539, died 1605) was an English gentleman who served as a member of Parliament. He was also a courtier, meaning he spent time at the royal court, and a translator. He became well-known for getting into trouble several times with Parliament itself. He also created the first important translation of The Iliad, an ancient Greek epic poem, into English.
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Arthur Hall's Early Life and Career
Arthur Hall was born in 1539, likely in Calais, France, where his father, Francis Hall, worked as a surveyor. When Arthur was about 12 or 13, his father passed away. Arthur then became a ward of Sir William Cecil, a very important person in Queen Elizabeth I's government. He grew up in Cecil's home alongside Cecil's son, Thomas Cecil.
Arthur Hall briefly studied at St. John's College, Cambridge, but he didn't finish his degree. A scholar named Roger Ascham encouraged him to study, and around 1563, Arthur began translating Homer's works into English. Later, he traveled through Italy and parts of southeastern Europe, returning to England from Constantinople in January 1569.
On April 2, 1571, Arthur Hall was elected as a Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Grantham. He was re-elected for the same area on May 8, 1572. Soon after his second election, the House of Commons asked him to explain some things he had said. He apologized for his behavior and was allowed to go after being warned by the Speaker of the House.
Disagreements and Parliamentary Troubles
In 1573, Arthur Hall faced more serious problems. He had an argument during a card game with a man named Melchisedech Mallory. The disagreement continued and became quite heated. Later, some of Hall's servants attacked Mallory. This led to legal action, and Mallory's family tried to get money from Hall's servant.
Because the servant worked for a Member of Parliament, he claimed he couldn't be arrested. The House of Commons at first agreed to release him, but then ordered his re-arrest, believing he was trying to avoid paying a fair debt. Eventually, Hall's servant and another person were sent to the Tower of London for a month until the debt was secured.
Arthur Hall later wrote a detailed account of his argument with Mallory and had about a hundred copies printed. In this book, he was critical of the Speaker of the House and other Members of Parliament. When Parliament met again in 1581, the book was brought to their attention. A committee was formed to investigate. Hall's answers were not satisfactory, and he was called before the House again. He admitted his mistake and asked for forgiveness.
However, Parliament voted unanimously to send him to the Tower of London for six months. He also had to pay a large fine to the Queen and was removed from Parliament. A new election was held for Grantham. The House of Commons officially declared his book to be damaging and untrue. Hall was released from the Tower when Parliament ended in 1583. In 1582, he asked for permission to study at a university in another country.
In 1585, Hall was elected M.P. for Grantham again, but he didn't attend Parliament. He was not re-elected in 1586. He then tried to sue the town of Grantham for unpaid wages from an earlier time he was an M.P. This claim was discussed by a committee in the House of Commons, and he eventually agreed to drop his demand in 1587.
Arthur Hall faced more difficulties in 1588, being held in the Fleet Prison. He wrote to Lord Burghley, expressing regret and mentioning that the Queen was upset with him. He was released after agreeing to cooperate with the council. In the early 1590s, he mentioned ongoing disagreements and financial worries. In 1597, Lord Burghley helped him with a debt he owed to the crown. In 1604, he wrote to King James I, pointing out problems with parliamentary elections and suggesting that Parliament should be dissolved.
Arthur Hall's Famous Translation
Arthur Hall's most important literary work was his translation titled Ten Books of Homer's Iliades, translated out of French. He dedicated this book to Sir Thomas Cecil, his childhood friend. It was published in London in 1581.
This translation was the very first attempt to bring Homer's famous epic poem, The Iliad, into the English language. Hall closely followed a French translation of the first ten books by Hugues Salel. He sometimes also used Latin versions to help him. Hall's own copy of Salel's translation, with his signature, is kept in the British Library. His translation used a rhyming verse style called "fourteeners," which means each line had fourteen syllables. While it might seem a bit awkward today, it was the main English translation until George Chapman created his own version later.
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