The Old English word-order resembles that of German in many respects,
though it is not so strict, thus:--
The verb comes before its nominative when the sentence is headed by an
adverb or adverbial group, or when the object or predicate is put at the
head of the sentence:--_th[=a] cwaeth se cyning_ (then said the king);
_[=ae]rest w[=ae]ron b[=u]end thisses landes Brettas_ (at first the Britons
were the inhabitants of this country); _on his dagum c[=o]mon [=ae]rest
thr[=e]o s[.c]ipu_ (in his days three ships first came); _thaet b[=ae]ron
olfendas_ (camels carried it); _m[=ae]re is se God the Dani[=e]l on
be.l[=i]efth_ (great is the God that Daniel believes in).
The infinite often comes at the end of the sentence; _w[=e] magon [=e]ow
r[=ae]d [.g]e.l[=ae]ran_ (we can teach you a plan).
The finite verb often comes at the end in dependent sentences, an auxiliary
verb often coming after an infinitive or participle; _thaet w[=ae]ron
th[=a] [=ae]restan s[.c]ipu D[e,]niscra manna the Angel-cynnes land
[.g]e.s[=o]hton_ (those were the first ships of Danish men which came to
the land of the English race); _thaet m[=ae]ste wael the w[=e]
s[e,][.c][.g]an h[=i]erdon oth thisne andweardan dae[.g]_ (the greatest
slaughter that we have heard tell of up to this present day); _thaet h[=i]e
thone Godes mann [=a].bitan scolden_ (in order that they should devour the
man of God).
There is a tendency to put the verb at the end in principal sentences also,
or, at least, to bring it near the end: _hiene man of.sl[=o]g_ (they killed
him); _h[=i]e th[=ae]r si[.g]e n[=a]mon_ (they got the victory there).
* * * * *
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