Steven Veerapen

The Wisest Fool by Steven Veerapen delves into the life of James VI and I, the first monarch to reign over Scotland, England, and Ireland, who has long endured a mixed reputation. To many, he is simply the homosexual King, the inveterate witch-roaster, the smelly sovereign who never washed, the colourless man behind the authorised Bible bearing his name, or...

Summer, 1522. In a wave of pomp, Henry VIII's court welcomes the Imperial emperor, Charles V. Anthony Blanke, the son of the king's late 'black trumpet', John Blanke, is called to Hampton Court by his former employer, Cardinal Wolsey. The cardinal is preparing a gift for King Henry: a masque of King Arthur and the Black Knight. Anthony is to...

Spring, 1523. Henry VIII readies England for war with France. The King's chief minister, Cardinal Wolsey, prepares to open Parliament at Blackfriars. The eyes of the country turn towards London. But all is not well in Wolsey's household. A visiting critic of the Cardinal is found brutally slain whilst awaiting an audience at Richmond Palace. He will not be the...

Witches — whether broomstick-riding spell-casters or Wiccan earth-worshippers — have been culturally relevant for centuries. For centuries, too, belief in the potency of witchcraft has been debated, accused witches have been hunted and punished, and film and TV productions have brought the witch and the witch-hunter to big and small screens. But where did our perception of witches — good...

The Wisest Fool by Steven Veerapen explores the life of James VI and I, the first monarch to reign over Scotland, England, and Ireland. Historically, James has endured a mixed reputation. He is often remembered as the homosexual king, the inveterate witch-roaster, the smelly sovereign who never washed, the colourless figure behind the authorised Bible bearing his name, or the...