Why was William Shakespeare so obsessed with Sir John Oldcastle?

William Shakespeare was a very adroit survivor, unquestionably, he wrote plays for public viewing of an variety and intensity that was without precedent up to this point in human history. Of course, even Shakespeare had to accommodate his "masters", the government in power in England, there were things he couldn't possibly say. However, Shakspeare did enjoy under Eliabeth I of England, a degree of freedom of expression that was extremely unusual, his "Fairie Queen" was using her authority with a lightness of touch that bordered on semi-democracy, to some extent because she was a genius, and to some extent because it worked rather well, indeed. So, Shakespeare was undoubtedly very grateful to the system, and the people behind this system, that allowed him to write his very experessive plays. This probably explains Shakespeare's fascination with the character of Sir John Oldcastle, the military leader of the heretical protestant Lollard Sect, and early boon companion of Henry V. Because Oldcastle was really an earlier incarnation of Martin Luther. Martin Luther got lucky, and he knew it. Luther was well aware, throughout his entire life, that he could well share exactly the same fate as other so called "heretics" -- burning at the stake. However, if no one tried, if no one took the necessary risks, then no social progress would ever occur, ever. Society would remain stagnant under the control of ignorant bureaucrats and priests, and humanity would never advance. Shakespeare saw Sir John Oldcastle as an example of one of these great men, and a native son of England, who had failed, but, who had helped to lay the foundations for the ultimate freedom of the English people, by his great courage and sacrifice. Shakespeare knew he still couldn't, even under Elizabeth I, openly discuss this man who tried to kidnap his sovereign, Henry V, and to force desired religious reform on the English people before its time. However, he did the best he could. He created a satirical character in Sir John Falstaff to immortalize in encoded form his sacrifice, and his courage, and his contribution. This characerization is a very interesting and compelling illustration of the incredibly convoluted and unupredictable and distorted path of true human progress. https://ota.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/repository/xmlui/bitstream/handle/20.500.12024/A02633/A02633.html?sequence=5&isAllowed=y