Corody Definition:

From the Latin term corodium.

In ancient English common law, a corody was what is now called a pension and was not necessarily presents in money but instead, could take the form of an obligation to provide food or accommodation for life or for a prescribed period of time.

Often the corody was provided by a religious institution. In fact, if the money or food was due from a religious institution, it became an annuity.

The term corody became limited to the entitlement to food or monies from a church.

Max Radin defined corody as follows:

“In feudal law, an allowance of food, drink, lodging and similar necessities either specifically reserved in a grant to some religious foundation or implied from the fact of its having been founded by a particular person. The king, as a rule, had the power to demand corody for himself and his servants from all bodies that existed by Royal Charter.”

A corody was a species of incorporeal heritament but is now obsolete and now the term pension is used in any event to describe this species of obligation.

REFERENCES:

• Burrill, A., Law Dictionary and Glossary, Vol. II (New York: Baker, Voorhis & Co., Law Publishers, 1867), page 595
• Clark, W., Elementary Law (New York: The American Law Book Company, 1909), page 257
• Radin, Max, Radin Law Dictionary (New York: Oceana Publiations, 1955), page 74