FITZ STEPHEN, ROBERT (fl. I 150), son of Nesta, a Welsh princess and former mistress of Henry I., by Stephen, constable of Cardigan, whom Robert succeeded in that office, took service with Dermot of Leinster when that king visited England (1167). In 1169 Robert led the vanguard of Dermot's Anglo-Welsh auxiliaries to Ireland, and captured Wexford, which he was then allowed to hold jointly with Maurice Fitz Gerald. Taken prisoner by the Irish in I171, he was by them surrendered to Henry II., who appointed him lieutenant of the justiciar of Ireland, Hugh de Lacy. Robert rendered good service in the troubles of "73, and was rewarded by receiving, jointly with Miles Cogan, a grant of Cork (1177). He had difficulty in main taining his position and was nearly overwhelmed by a rising of Desmond in 1182. It has been surmised that he died in 1183. FITZ STEPHEN, WILLIAM (d. c. 119o), biographer of Thomas Becket and justice itinerant, was born in London. He entered Becket's service between 11S4 and 1162. The chancellor employed him in legal work, made him sub-deacon of his chapel and treated him as a confidant. Fitz Stephen appeared with Becket at the council of Northampton (1164) when the disgrace of the archbishop was published to the world; but he did not follow Becket into exile. He joined Becket's household again in 117o, and was a spectator of the tragedy in Canterbury cathedral. His life of Becket is the most valuable we have. Though he writes as a partisan he gives a precise account of the differences between Becket and the king. It also contains a description of London which is our chief authority for the social life of the city in the 12th century. Despite his connection with Becket, William was sheriff of Gloucestershire from 1171 to 119o, and a royal justice in the years 1176-8o and 1189-90.
See his "Vita S. Thomae" in J. C. Robertson's Materials for the History of Thomas Becket, vol. iii. (Rolls series, 1877) . Sir T. D. Hardy, in his Catalogue of Materials, ii. 33o (Rolls series, 1865), dis cusses the manuscripts of this biography and its value. W. H. Hutton, St. Thomas of Canterbury, pp. 272-274 (5889), gives an account of the author.