John Oldcastle (1417)

March 21st, 2025
by Jon Holaday

Oldcastle was a friend of the king. He served in the armies of the English King Henry IV, was a ladies man as was the king, and fought with swords. He would come under the influence of a greater King and John Wycliffe was the vessel Christ used! He became a Lollard and all that they stood for and against. He became a great threat of the church that had set out to cleanse the world of this new back to the bible heresy. Though Oldcastle was great friends with King Henry, the divide became to great as he would publicly present his confession of faith, including but not limited to the views of the Eucharist and confessionals. Executions normally quickly followed judgment but with Oldcastle being a friend of the king, he was given 40 days to change his mind. He would actually escape custody, devise a plan to kidnap the king, but it would be discovered. He was taken to London, ordered to double death, hung as a traitor with fire beneath him. He died praising God!