<( SEITH MOÏSES Bï THE DEVEL : » A PROBLEM IN CHAUCER'S PARSON'S TALE

In his discussion of how « synne wexeth or encreesseth in man », Chaucer's Parson makes a rather startling Scriptural allusion :

And of this matere seith Moyses by the devel in this manere : « The f eend seith, ' I wol chace and pursue the man by wikked suggestioun, and I wol hente hym by moevynge or stirynge of synne. And I wol départe my prise or my praye by deliberacioun, and my lust shal been acompliced in délit. I wol drawe my swerd in consentynge' — / for certes, right as a swerd departeth a thyng in two peces, right so consentynge departeth God fro man — 'and thanne wol I sleen hym with my η hand in dede of synne' ; thus seith the feend » (2).

Robinson fears that the Parson has here triumphantly vindicated his claim to not being « textueel », (3) and calls the allusion a « supposed utterance of Moses » (4). However, despite a somewhat aprocryphal appearance, the passage does have real Scriptural basis. The difficulty would seem to be