Herriard's first appearance in the historical record is in 1184 when he is mentioned in connection with the pardoning of payment of scutage on some land he held in Wiltshire.
[1] Herriard had married before 1183, and his wife was named Ela, and she was the co-heir, along with her sister, of lands at Somerford in Wiltshire.
[2] Herriard's first service as an administrator was for Geoffrey fitzPeter, where he served as the undersheriff for Essex and Herefordshire in 1192.
[5] Unconnected with his judicial duties, in 1195 Herriard was in charge of the delivery of a shipment of horses to King Richard, which entailed the justice crossing the English Channel to Normandy to deliver them.
In 1198 Herriard was sent to deliver a subsidy to Richard's nephew, Otto, who was attempting to be proclaimed German Emperor.