Between 1165 and 1168 he taught at Cologne, and held a prebend at that city. In 1168 Gerard returned to England and took the oath of fealty to Henry II, which  Becket had rejected.
From 1165 to 1168, Gerard served as an instructor at Cologne and held a position of income there. In 1168, he returned to England and took the oath of loyalty to Henry II, an act that Becket had not accepted.