Sir John Oldcastle, the Office of the Privy Seal, and Thomas Hoccleve's 'Remonstrance Against Oldcastle' of 1415

This paper looks at the background against which Thomas Hoccleve's Remonstr ance Against Oldcastle was written. It draws on unprinted material from Bri tish Library MS Harley 431 to demonstrate close links between the Office of the Privy Seal, where Hoccleve was employed, and Sir John Oldcastle and hi s wife. A re-examination of the Remonstrance, knows as a 'furiously orthodo x' poem, suggests the possibility of ironical readings at some points.