Alleyn, Arabella

Arabella Alleyn (later Thompson, Howard) (1655–1746) was a landowning heiress whose autobiographical account of her life was written as a legal testimony. Alleyn’s “MS Account” is preserved in the Hotham Papers at the Hull History Centre. It is a rare survivor’s account of family coercion and marital violence in early modern England and narrates the story of Alleyn’s abduction as a baby and later forced marriage. Alleyn’s only surviving child, William Thompson (1677–1744), became custodian of her autobiography, printed legal testimonies, and personal papers.