Murdrum was the crime of murdering someone in a secret manner in medieval English law.[1]
It was introduced into Anglo-Saxon law by the Danes. It is distinguished from simple homicide. In the laws of Cnut an unknown man who was killed was presumed to be a Dane, and the vill or tithing was compelled to pay 40 marks for his death.
After the Norman Conquest of 1066, the law was revived to protect the Anglo-Normans. The origins of the Norman law are described in the 12th-century Dialogus de Scaccario:[2]
In later years, the Anglo-Normans became indistinguishable from the native English. Nevertheless, the murdrum was retained as the most effective law against secret murder (as opposed to open murder that could be handled by the hue and cry) no matter the victim's ethnicity.
When King Henry I granted tax liberties to London in 1133, he exempted the city from taxes such as scot, danegeld, and murdrum.[3] Richard I of England exempted the Knights Templar from being charged with murdrum and Latrocinium amongst other privileges. The murdrum was abolished in the reign of Edward III.