(_A_) In nouns and adjectives (of A.S. origin) the final _-e_ represents one of the final vowels _a_, _u_, _e_, and hence is fully sounded even in the nominative case in such instances. Examples; gome (A.S. _goma_), 7, blome (A.S. _bloma_), 63, trewe (A.S. _treowe_), 179, knaue (A.S. _cnafa_), 308, 450, sone (A.S. _sunu_), 394. (_B_) In words of French origin it is sounded as in French verse. Such words are scarce in Havelok. Examples: hayse, 59, beste, 279, mirácle, 500, rose, 2919, curtesye (_miswritten_ curteyse), 2876, cf. 194, drurye, 195, male, 48, large, 97, noble, 1263. (_C_) It is a remnant of various grammatical inflexions:-- (1) it is a sign of the _dative_ case in nouns; as, nede, 9, stede, 10, trome, 8, wronge, 72, stede, 142, dede (not elided, because of the cæsura), 167, arke, 222, erþe, 248, lite þrawe, 276. It also sometimes marks the accusative, or the genitive of feminine nouns: _accusatives_, cupp_e_, 14, wede, 94, brede, 98, shrede, 99, mede, 102, quiste, 219, sorwe, 238 (cf. sorw’ in l. 240), son_e_, 308, knaue, 308, sone, 350, wille, 441: _genitives_, messe, 186, 188, helle, 405. (2) In adjectives it marks-- (_a_) the _definite form_ of the adjective; as, þe meste, 233, þe riche (not elided[45]), 239, te beste, 87, þe hexte [man], 1080, þat wicke, 1158, þat foule, 1158, þe firste, 1333, þe rede, 1397. This rule is most often violated in the case of _dissyllabic_ superlatives; as, þe wictest’, 8, þe fairest, þe strangest, 1081, 1110; cf. 199, 200. (_b_) the _plural_ number. Examples abound, as, gode, 1, alle, 2, are, 27, yung = yung_e_, 30, holde, 30, gode, 34, 55, harde, 143, gren_e_, 470, bleike, 470, halte, 543, doumbe, 543, &c. The same use is often extended to possessive pronouns; we find the plurals mine, 385, 514 (but min’, 392), þine, 620, hise, 34, 67, hure, 1231; and even the singulars hire, 84, 85, hure, 338, yure, 171. But the personal pronoun feminine is often hir’, 172, 209; yet see l. 316. (_c_) the _vocative_ case, as, dere, 839, 2170; leue, 909. (3) In verbs it marks-- (_a_) the infinitive mood; as, telle, 3, duelle, 4, falle, 39, bey_e_, 53, swere, 254, be-bedde, 421, ber_e_, 549, &c. On this point there cannot be a moment’s doubt, for the form _-en_ is found quite as often, and they rime together, as in 254, 255, cf. 29, 30. But it is well worth remarking that _-en_ is slurred over exactly where _-e_ would be, with much regularity. Examples are: rid_en_, 10, biginn_en_, 21, mak_en_, 29, heng_en_, 43, lurk_en_, 68, crep_en_, 68, rid_en_, 88, hau_en_, 270. Other examples are very numerous. But we sometimes find _-en_ not slurred over, as, drinken, 15; and the same is true even of _-e_, but such cases are exceptional and rare. (_b_) the gerund; as, to preyse, 60. (_c_) the past participle of a strong verb; as, drawe, 1802, slawe, 1803. But these are rare, as they are commonly written drawen, slawen, 2224.