Just a little bit further back than anything that could be called a "standard English", then. The languages in England at the time were not mutually intelligibl

Just a little bit further back than anything that could be called a "standard English", then. The languages in England at the time were not mutually intelligible, nor were they codified in any way -- "axe" (or "aks") and "ask" were regionalisms, and one would hardly say today that "axe" would be acceptable except when recording dialog. And just try going to the store and asking for a dozen eyren and see how far that gets you