John Oldcastle Oldcastle, mainly based on "The Actes and Monuments" of John Foxe, who in his turn followed the "Briefe Chronycle" of John Bale, first published in 1544. For notes on Oldcastle's early career, consult James Hamilton Wylie, "History of England under Henry IV". For literary history see the Introductions to Richard James's "Iter Lancastrense" (Chetham Society, 1845) and to Grosart's edition of the "Poems of Richard James" (1880). See also W. Barske, "Oldcastle-Falstaff in der englischen Literatur bis zu Shakespeare" ("Palaestra", 1. Berlin, 1905). John Oldcastle Sir John Oldcastle (died 14 December 1417) was an English Lollard leader. Being a friend
Sir John Oldcastle it is generally thought, because of political pressure: the historical Oldcastle was not only a Protestant martyr, but a nobleman with powerful living descendants in Elizabethan England. These were the Lords Cobham: William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham (died 6 March 1597), was Warden of the Cinque Ports (1558–97), Knight of the Order of the Garter (1584), and member of the Privy Council (1586–97); his son Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham, was granted the paternal post of Warden of the Cinque Ports upon his father's death, and made a Knight of the Order of the Garter in 1599. Even more so,