Ped. Why is lingua the feminine gender?
Slip. Forsooth because it is the feminine gender. 39
Ped. Ha, thou ass! thou dolt! idem per idem, mark it: lingua is declined with hæc, the feminine, because it is a household stuff, particularly belonging and most commonly resident under the roof of women’s mouths. Come on, you Nathaniel, say you, say you next; not too fast; say tretably:[456] say.
Nath. Mascula dicuntur monosyllaba nomina quædam.
Ped. Faster! faster!
Nath. Ut sal, sol, ren et splen: car, ser, vir, vas, vadis, as, mas,
Bes, cres, pres et pes, glis, glirens [sic] habens genetivo,
Mos, flos, ros et tros, muns [sic], dens, mons, pons— 50
Ped. Rup, tup, snup, slup, bor, hor, cor, mor. Holla! holla! holla! you Holofernes Pippo, put him down. Wipe your nose: fie, on your sleeve! where’s your muckender[457] your grandmother gave you? Well, say on; say on.
Hol. Pree,[458] master, what word’s this?
Ped. Ass! ass!
Hol. As in presenti perfectum format in, in, in—