It is evident from the latter charter that he accompanied
King Henry II in his expedition to Ireland in October 1171. He was sent with
Hugh de Lacy to receive the allegiance of
Rory, King of Connaught, and on the King's return to England in the next year the city of
Wexford was committed to his charge, with two lieutenants under him. In 1173 Pope Adrian's bull granting the kingdom of Ireland to Henry,
Laudabiliter, was entrusted to the prior of
Wallingford and him to exhibit before the synod of bishops at Waterford. On the death of
Strongbow, Lord of Leinster, in 1176, the king appointed him deputy over the whole of that kingdom and granted him the wardship of
Isabel, the earl's daughter and heir. His government, which is represented as having been weak and negligent, did not last above a year,
Prince John receiving a grant of the
Lordship of Ireland at the parliament held at Oxford in May 1177, Fitz-Aldelm himself being present there. The city of Wexford, however, was restored to his charge, together with the province of Leinster. Once again in 1181 the government of Ireland was again entrusted to him. During his residence in Ireland, he founded the
priory of Saint Thomas the Martyr at
Dublin; and in Henry's charter of confirmation he is called the king's
"dapifer" (steward). He was also
Seneschal of Normandy, Ponthieu, and some other of the king's dominions in France. In 1185 the manor of Maplederwell was held by William Fitz Audelin as a gift from the King. After the
Henry's death he held the office of sheriff of
Cumberland, during the first nine years of Richard's reign, in the first year of which he was amerced in sum of 60L. (£60) for not coming into the Exchequer to account for twelve days after he was summonsed. In the same year he was one of the justices itinerant in that county and in Yorkshire; and in the former again in 1197 (8th year of
Richard I). FitzAldelm died in 1205. He is sometimes confused, genealogically, with
William de Burgh, but this has long been known to be an error. ==References==