[Sidenote:  ELLA 561.  The beginning of the kingdom of Deria.] About the same time, or rather about 14 yeares after, one Ella a Saxon also reigned as king in Deira, which kingdome began at the said riuer of Tine in the north, & ended at the riuer of Humber toward the south.  These two kingdomes were sometime gouerned by two seuerall kings, and afterwards at other times they were ioined in one, and gouerned by one onelie king, and named the kingdome of Northumberland, which in processe of time was much inlarged, so that it included the shires of Yorke, Notingham, Darbie, Lancaster, the bishoprike of Durham, Copland, and other countries betwixt the east and the west [Sidenote:  The riuer of Mersie.] seas, euen vnto the riuer of Mersie.  The foresaid Ella was sonne to Iffus, being descended from Woden, as the 12 in succession from him, though not by right line as William Malmesburie hath noted.  Ida (as the same Malmesburie dooth testifie) reigned 14 yeares.

Now Ella who was successor to Ida (as he saith) reigned thirtie [Sidenote:  Matth.  West.] yeares, and verie valiantlie inlarged his kingdome.  But one author writeth how Ida reigned but 12 yeares, and that he builded the castell of Bamburge, first fensing it with pales, and after with a wall of [Sidenote:  Hen.  Hunt.] stone.  The same Ida had by his wife six sonnes, begotten in lawfull [Sidenote:  Matt.  West.] bed, Ada, Ebric, Theodoric, Athelric, Osmer, and Theofred.  Moreouer he begat of certeine concubines (which he kept) six bastard sonnes, Oga, Aleric, Ettha, Osbale, Segor, and Segother.  These came altogither into this land, and arriued at Flemesburke with fortie ships, as Matthaeus Westmonasteriensis hath recorded.  The partition of the kingdome of Northumberland chanced after the deceasse of Ida, as the same author signifieth:  for Ada the sonne of the foresaid Ida succeeded his father in the kingdome of Brenitia, reigning therein seuen yeares:  and Ella the sonne of Histria, a most valiant duke, began to gouerne Deira, as both the said Matth.  Westm. and others doo affirme.

[Sidenote:  VORTIPORUS. Matt.  West. noteth 578.] Vortiporus the sonne of Aurelius Conanus succeeded his father, and began to reigne ouer the Britains, in the yeere of our Lord 576, in the 11, yeare of the emperour Flauius Anicius Iustinus, in the fourth yeare of the reigne of Childeric king of France, and in the fourth yeare of Clephis the Gothish king in Italie.  This Vortiporus vanquished the Saxons in batttell, as the British histories make mention, and valiantlie defended his land and subiects the Britains, from the danger of them and other their allies.  In the time of this kings reigne, the foresaid Ella began to rule in the south part of the kingdome of Northumberland called Deira, as before is mentioned, according to the account of some authors, who also take this Vortiporus to begin his reigne in the yeare 548.  After that Vortiporus [Sidenote:  Matt.  West. noteth 3 yeares.] had ruled the Britans the space of 4 yeares, he departed this life, and left no issue behind him to succeed him in the kingdom.