All these words may, however, also be found with slurring or syncopation of the _e_, even in Early Middle English: _Annd þéowwtenn wél wiþþ áll þin máhht_ Orm. 11393; _þa w[æ´]re he þ[æ´]r bik[æ´]chedd_ ib. 11628; _Annd súme itt áll forrwérrþenn_ ib. 11512; _Min héorte atflíhþ and fált mi túnge_ Owl and N. 37; _þár þe úle sóng hir tíde_ ib. 26, 441; _þat ich schúlle tó hire fléo_ ib. 442; _he wére ischóte_ ib. 23, 53, &c. In later Middle English this is more common: _An ýmage óf hire sóne_ Alexius i. 105; _þeróf to gód þei máde here móne_ ib. 32; _Sómme þat óf þe ínne wére_ Alexius ii. 325; _Fáste þey wére ysóught þoróugh_ ib. 14; _And lóke síre at [gh]óure pilgríme_ ib. 394; _And thére our óst bigán_ Chauc. Prol. 827; _Entúned ín hire nóse_ ib. 123; _Nought gréveth ús youre glórie ánd honóur_ id. Kn. T. 59; _þúrgh yóure géntilnésse_ ib. 62; _ánd hire fálse whéel_ ib. 67; _And pílgryms wére they álle_ Chauc. Prol. 26, 59; _At níght was cóme intó that hóstelríe_ ib. 23; _With hím ther wás his sóne, a yóung squyér_ ib. 79; _In mótteléye and hígh_ ib. 271; _cómpanýe in yóuthe_ ib. 461; _no vílanýe is ít_ ib. 740, &c.
§ =105.= The following examples serve to show the arbitrary use of the final _-e_ in other words, either (_a_) syllabic, or (_b_) slurred or syncopated.
=1. Infinitive=, (a) _And stónde úpe gódes knýght_ Alexius ii. 269; _to télle yów áll the condícióun_ Chauc. Prol. 38. (b) _to táke our wéy_ ib. 34; _Mén mote [gh]eve sílver_ ib. 232.
=2. Past part.= of strong verbs, (a) _ydráwe né ybóre_ Sq. T. 336; _þó þe chíld ybóre wás_ Alexius ii. 37; (b) _Ybóre he wás in Róme_ ib. 6; _Though hé were cóme agáin_ Chauc. Sq. T. 96; _ycóme from hís viáge_ id. Prol. 77, &c.
=3.= Various =inflexional endings of the verb=, (a) _þát ich réde wé begínne_ Cant. Creat. E. 225; _And yét I hópe, pár ma fáy_ Chauc. Sir Thopas l. 2010; _and máde fórward_ id. Prol. 33; _and wénte fór to dóon_ ib. 78; _yet hádde hé but lítel góld in cóffre_ ib. 298; _And séyde tó her þús_ Alexius i. 69; _gládly wólde préche_ Chauc. Prol. 480. (b) _devóutly wólde he téche_ ib. 481; _I trówe ther nówher nón is_ ib. 524; _I trówe some mén_ id. Sq. T. 213; _So hádde I spóken_ id. Prol. 31; _hádde he bé_ ib. 60; _if thát sche sáwe a móus_ ib. 144; _chíldren betwéen them hédde þei nóne_ Alexius i. 31; _Bote méte fóunde þe[gh] nón saundóute_ Cant. Creat. O. 62.