Wyclif’s Summae and the myth of MS Cambridge, Trinity College, B.16.2

Martin Dekarli

There is a common scholarly consensus about John Wyclif’s (d. 1384) collection of treatises
known as Summa de ente (alternatively Summa intellectualium), which was planned into two
books and contained thirteen tracts. Furthermore, scholars also agree that Wyclif, after
retirement to Lutterworth parish in 1382, collected and entirely revised all his compiled works
with the help of his adherents. One of the rare records of Summa de ente existence is a short
record made by an unknown scribe on the front flyleaf of the parchment manuscript
Cambridge, Trinity College, B.16.2 dated today terminus post quem 1384 and terminus ante
quem 1400. Another proof of evidence provides references in manuscript Wien,
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, 4307 originated in Bohemia around 1433. The proposed
lecture aims to present a review of current knowledge about Wyclif’s Summa de ente along
with collections of previous works and some issues associated with the text-editing of Doctor
Evangelicus.