At the age of eleven he was taken into the house of Mr. William Austin, his mother's brother-in-law, a respectable farmer of Sapiston, a little village adjoining to Honington, his mother still continuing to find him "a few things to wear," though even this "was more than she well knew how to do." Mr. Austin, having himself a large family, could pay but little attention to his young kinsman, more than to providing him with food and employment: in this respect, however, the treatment of his servants and of his sons was the same; "all worked hard, all lived well."
'Twas thus with Giles; meek, fatherless, and poor,
Labour his portion, but he felt no more;
No stripes, no tyranny his steps pursu'd,
His life was constant, cheerful servitude:
Strange to the world he wore a bashful look,
The fields his study, nature was his book:
A little farm his generous master till'd,
Who with peculiar grace his station tiil'd;
By deeds of hospitality endear'd,
Serv'd from affection, for his worth rever'd;
A happy offspring blest his plenteous board,
His fields were fruitful, and his barns well stor'd;
And fourscore ewes he fed, a sturdy team,
And lowing kine that graz'd beside the stream:
Unceasing industry he kept in view,
And never lack'd a job for Giles to do.
