Harley MS 1319, ff 1r-78v

La Prinse et mort du roy Richart (Book of the Capture and Death of King Richard II) also known as La Prinse et mort du roy Richart (the Capture and Death of king Richard), the Account of the Fall of Richard II, or the Chronicle of Jean Creton), composed by Jean Creton (fl. 1386–1420), historian and poet; see J. J. N. Palmer, ‘Creton, Jean (fl. 1386–1420)’, in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004), [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/50197, accessed 19 Oct 2010]. This work was commissioned between November 1401 and March 1402 by Philip the Bold, duke of Burgundy. In April 1399 Creton was sent by Charles VI of France (r. 1380-1422) to accompany Richard II to Ireland. Creton sailed with the earl of Salisbury to north Wales, and gave an eyewitness account of the capture of the king.

This is one of seven copies of the texts: see Jean Creton, Archives de littérature du Moyen Âge (ARLIMA) , http://www.arlima.net/il/jean_creton.html#prinse [accessed on 19 October 2011].

f. 1 is a parchment leaf inscribed on the verso in a late 16th-century hand: 'Histoire du Roy d'Angleterre, Richard, traictant particulierement la rebellion de ses subiectz et prinse de sa personne etc. Composée par un gentilhomme françois de marque, qui fut a la suite dudict Roy avecque permission du Roy de France', with the date '1399' added below in darker ink.

Decoration:

16 miniatures in colours and gold with ivy-leaf borders. The subjects of the miniatures are: the author Jean Creton and a French knight (f. 2r); Henry of Monmouth knighted in the field by Richard II (f. 5r); the relief ships (f. 7v); MacMorogh, the Irish chieftian, approaching the duke of Gloucester (f. 9r); Archbishop Arundel preaching (f. 12r); Salisbury's arrival at Conway (f. 14v); Richard II's fleet (f. 18r), Richard II at Conway (f. 19v); the dukes of Exeter and Salisbury (f. 25r); Henry Bolingbroke and the dukes (f. 30v); Richard II and the earl of Northumberland (37v); Northumberland's oath (f. 41v); Richard II and the soldiers of the earl of Northumberland on the road to Chester (f. 44r); Richard II and Henry Bolingbroke at Flint Castle (f. 50r); Richard II delivered to the citizens of London (f. 53v); Henry Bolingbroke recognized as king by the parliament (f. 57r). 1 large initial in colours and gold 'A'(u) with foliate motifs (f. 2r). Large initials in gold on coloured grounds. Cadels. Capitals marked in yellow.

The manuscript was illuminated by the Virgil Master (fl. in Paris, c. 1309-1420).