Sir John Oldcastle

Sir John Oldcastle was an English knight who wanted ordinary people to be free to read the Bible in their own language. He rescued Matthew Parker from a priest who tried to burn Matthew's English Bible and protected believers known as Lollards. Oldcastle's convictions placed him against powerful church officials, even though King Henry was his old friend. Hoping to reason directly with the king, he joined a desperate plan to seize Henry and plead the cause of religious freedom. The plot was betrayed, and Oldcastle narrowly escaped while Matthew was captured. Bold, resourceful, and willing to risk his title, Oldcastle treated access to God's Word as a treasure worth defending against both law and custom.