Rumwold was a medieval infant saint in England, said to have lived for three days in 662. He is said to have been full of Christian piety despite his young age, and able to speak from the moment of his birth, professing his faith, requesting baptism, and delivering a sermon prior to his early death. Several churches were dedicated to him, of which at least four survive. Name His name has a number of alternative spellings: Rumwald, Runwald, Rumbald, Rumbold, Romwold, Rombout, Rumble and Rumbel. Rumbold is the more common name used today, with streets in Buckingham and Lincoln being spelt this way. Hagiography According to the 11th century hagiography, Vita Sancti Rumwoldi, he was the grandson of Penda of Mercia (a pagan), and the son of a king of Northumbria. His parents are not actually named; the most likely candidates are Alhfrith, son of Oswiu of Northumbria, and his wife Cyneburh, daughter of Penda. But there are difficulties with this identification: Alhfrith never ruled Northumbria himself, unlike his father, only the subkingdom of Deira. Also the Northumbrian king is described as a pagan, but according to Bede, Alhfrith was a Christian and convinced Penda's son Peada to convert to Christianity too. Although it has been stated that Cyneburh is not known to have had any children, Northumbrian genealogy states she and Alhfrith had a further son, Osric, who subsequently became King of Northumbria himself (source: Stenton). In the Vita, Rumwold's mother is described as a pious Christian who, when married to a pagan king, tells him that she will not consummate the marriage until he converts to Christianity; he does so, and she becomes pregnant. The two are called by Penda to come to him when the time of her birth is near, but she gives birth during the journey, and immediately after being born the infant is said to have cried out: "Christianus sum, christianus sum, christianus sum" ("I am a Christian, I am a Christian, I am a Christian"). He went on to further profess his faith, to request baptism, and to ask to be named "Rumwold", afterwards giving a sermon. He predicted his own death, and said where he wanted his body to be laid to rest, in Buckingham. Rumwold is reported to have been born in Walton Grounds, near King's Sutton in Northamptonshire, which was at that time part of the Mercian royal estates, possessing