Murdrum

During the times of the Danes, and afterwards till the reign of Edward III., murdrum was the killing of a man in a secret manner; and in that it differed from simple homicide. When a man was thus killed, and he was unknown,' by the laws of Canute he was presumed to be a Dane, and the Till was compelled to pay forty marks to the king for his death. After the conquest, a similar law was made in favor of Normans, which was abolished by 3 Edw. III. See Pbovinq the Enolisheby. The fine formerly imposed in England upon a person who had committed homicide per infortunium or ae defendendo.

Prln. Pen. Law 219, note.