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
John Fastolf family. The bulk of Sir John's fortune passed to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he is remembered as a benefactor, and where there is a Fastolf Society. Fastolf appears in Shakespeare's early play Henry VI, part 1 as a cowardly knight who abandons the heroic Lord Talbot. In the first two folios the name of the character is given as 'Falstaffe' not Fastolf. When Shakespeare came to write Henry IV, part 1, set in the early years of Fastolf's career, he created a disreputable boon companion for the young Prince Hal called Sir John Oldcastle. The descendants of the real Oldcastle