At the time, he was still a royal clerk.[3] In 1215, he was sent to Ireland, although only for a short time.[2] He served as a royal justice in the Midlands in 1218,[1] and as a royal justice in Nottingham in 1219, and in 1221 appointed as a forest justice in York, but was instead sent to Cumberland.[2] He served as Sheriff of Cumberland from 1222 to 1233.[4] He was a canon of Carlisle Cathedral[5] before he was elected to the see of Carlisle about 22 August 1223 and was consecrated that winter.[6]