Sir John Oldcastle rivals of Shakespeare's company. Curiously, this effort to redeem the Oldcastle name was at best only partially successful; allusions to the Falstaff character under the name of Oldcastle continued to appear in succeeding years — in Nathan Field's play "Amends for Ladies" (1618) and in the anonymous pamphlets "The Meeting of Gallants at an Ordinary" (1604) and "The Wandering Jew" (c. 1628), among other works. "Sir John Oldcastle" treats its subject matter in ways acceptable to the values and biases of its audience, and the interests of Elzabethan officialdom (inevitably; if it did anything else it would never have escaped
Oldcastle Revolt dismissing the adoration of the cross and the practice of confession. Following his statements, Oldcastle was charged as a heretic and condemned to execution; Henry intervened once more, giving the inmate forty days to repent. Oldcastle seized the opportunity, escaping on 19 October with aid of a group of London Lollards led by William Parchmyner, and later going into hiding at latter's house in Smithfield. During November 1413, several Lollards were sent to the Tower of London, as Oldcastle began sending messages to followers of the sect throughout England. Wealthy Lollards raised funds to equip the conspirators and hire mercenaries.