His parents were William de Vesci and Burga de Stuteville, daughter of Robert III de Stuteville. He paid his relief on coming of age in 1190. He was with King Richard I of England in Palestine in 1191. On 13 August 1199 he appeared as one of the guarantors of the treaty between the new king John of England and Renaud I, Count of Dammartin, and in the same year, probably later, he was sent to William the Lion of Scotland to promise him satisfaction of his rights in England, and witnessed his homage on 22 November 1200.