Career
Austen was a native of Staffordshire. He spent the second part of his life in Oxford, devoting most of his time to gardening and the raising of fruit-trees. In 1647 he became deputy-registrary to the Parliamentary visitation of Oxford University, and subsequently registrary in his own right.
He also ran a very successful nursery business, selling grafts and seedlings.
One of the Hartlib Circle, Austen was associated with Samuel Hartlib in a petition to Oliver Cromwell for the improvement of orchards and forestry. He was interested in expanding onto confiscated lands at Shotover Forest.
He worked to spread cider, then known only in the West Country, exchanging grafts with John Beale. According to Anthony Wood, Austen died in his house in the parish of Saint Peter-le-Bailey, Oxford, and was buried in its church, in the aisle adjoining the south side of the chancel, 26 October 1676.
He had been a gardener and planting trees for half a century.