John Oldcastle John Oldcastle Sir John Oldcastle (died 14 December 1417) was an English Lollard leader. Being a friend of Henry V, he long escaped prosecution for heresy. When convicted, he escaped from the Tower of London and then led a rebellion against the King. Eventually, he was captured and executed in London. He formed the basis for William Shakespeare's character John Falstaff, who was originally called John Oldcastle. Oldcastle's date of birth is unknown, although dubious and possibly apocryphal sources place it variously at 1360 or 1378. His father was Richard Oldcastle of Almeley in northwest Herefordshire. His grandfather, also called
Sir John McMahon, 1st Baronet family: his half-brother William MacMahon obtained the coveted judicial office of Master of the Rolls in Ireland through John's influence, although in the event he proved to be a popular and respected judge. He had no children but his title passed by special remainder to his brother Thomas. He is a minor character in Georgette Heyer's novel "Regency Buck", which shows him in a rather unflattering light. Sir John McMahon, 1st Baronet Colonel Sir John McMahon, 1st Baronet (c. 1754 – 12 September 1817) was an Irish-born politician and Private Secretary to the Sovereign 1811–1817. He was born in Limerick,