Giles was the son John Giles of Bowden, Member of Parliament for Totnes, and was baptised at Totnes on 21 July 1566. Edward"s great-grandfather, John Giles, was also Member of Parliament for Totnes. His Great-Grandfather was one of the richest merchants in Devon and owned properties in and around Totnes, Dean Prior, Bowden and Ashprington.
Exeter College.
He matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford on 1 February 1583, aged 17. He was a student of the Middle Temple in 1584. He was knighted on 23 July 1603 and appointed High Sheriff of Devon for 1612-1613.
In 1614 he was elected Member of Parliament for Devon.
He was elected Member of Parliament for Totnes again in 1621 and was re-elected in 1624 and 1625. In 1628 he was elected Member of Parliament for Totnes again and sat until 1629 when King Charles I decided to rule without Parliament for eleven years.
On 28 January 1587 at Newton Street Cyres, near Crediton, Devon, Giles married Mary Drewe daughter and heiress of Edmond Drewe of Hayne, Newton Street Cyres, Devon, and widow of Walter Northcote (1566-1587), younger brother of John Northcote (1570-1632) of Uton and Hayne, Newton Street Cyres, the latter who was ancestor of the Northcote Baronets and the Earls of Iddesleigh. Giles died at the age of 71 and was buried in Street George"s Church, Dean Prior, where survives his monument erected in 1642.
Useless Parliament; Happy Parliament. Addled Parliament]
Giles was the son John Giles of Bowden, Member of Parliament for Totnes, and was baptised at Totnes on 21 July 1566. In 1597 he was elected Member of Parliament for Totnes.
