Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/essayonlifeinsti00mack Transcriber’s note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Small capital letters are shown in UPPER CASE. ESSAY ON THE LIFE AND INSTITUTIONS OF OFFA, KING OF MERCIA, A. D. 755-794. by the REV. HENRY MACKENZIE, M. A. Of Pembroke College, Oxford; Master of Bancroft’s Hospital. “Offa restauratus regali stirpe creatus Erigitur; spernit quæ degenerantia cernit-- Armis donatur: Cato, Mars, Paris, hic reputatur. Quo floret tuta duce Marcia lege statuta Ense superborum vires reprimens, dominatur. Hunc Rex Francorum Carolus timet et veneratur. Communi voto cum clero Marcia toto Offæ concedit sese, cui mitis obedit, Ergo coronatur: ex tunc Rex jure vocatur!” _V. Matth. Westm., A. D. 779._ London: Hamilton, Adams, & Co., Paternoster Row; Smith, Elder, & Co., Cornhill; and H. Wix, New Bridge Street. 1840. Printed by E. Couchman, 10, Throgmorton Street, London. TO JOSEPH BOSWORTH, D. D. OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, F. R. S., F. S. A., BRITISH CHAPLAIN AT ROTTERDAM, DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY OF LEYDEN, MEMBER OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF THE NETHERLANDS, &c. &c. &c. IN TOKEN OF RESPECT FOR HIS LABORIOUS ACQUIREMENTS, (MORE ESPECIALLY WITH REFERENCE TO THE ANGLO-SAXON LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE,) ESTEEM FOR THE CHRISTIAN SINGLE-MINDEDNESS OF HIS CHARACTER, AND AFFECTIONATE REGARD FOR HIMSELF, THIS ESSAY IS INSCRIBED. ADVERTISEMENT. The following Essay, hastily prepared, and--though some time has elapsed since its composition--now hastily corrected for the press, was successful during the year 1836 in gaining an honorary premium, established by WILLIAM TAYLOR COPELAND, Esq., M. P., during the year of his Mayoralty. The writer regrets that pressing avocations prevent his devoting to his subject that application and research which alone could make his composition more worthy of the name of the amiable and highly esteemed founder of the Honorary Premium, or of the approbation of the public. The writer desires further to express his obligations to George William Johnson, Esq., of Gray’s Inn, Barrister at Law, without whose kind assistance he would have been unable to consult several of the Historical works which have added materially to the information which he has collected upon this subject. BANCROFT’S, 7th December, 1839. AN ESSAY, &c. “Nobilissimus juvenis; rex strenuissimus; vir religiosus.” HOVEDEN.