A more thorough explanation:

Definition: A historical allowance of money, accommodation, food, or clothing given by a religious house to a person who signed over personal or real property or both in exchange or to a royal servant at the Crown's request.

Example: The amount of property required from a person who purchased a corrody depended on the person's age and remaining life expectancy.

Explanation: In the past, religious houses would offer a corrody to individuals who were willing to sign over their personal or real property. The amount of property required would depend on the person's age and remaining life expectancy. This allowed the religious house to provide for the individual's needs in exchange for their property.

Example: The Crown was entitled to a corrody for a retired royal servant only from houses that the Crown had founded.

Explanation: If a royal servant retired, the Crown was entitled to a corrody from houses that the Crown had founded. This meant that the religious house would provide for the retired royal servant's needs in exchange for their property. However, the cost of the retired royal servant's care would come from the royal purse, which was not always available.

Example: "Corrody is a partition for one's sustenance. Be it bread, ale, herring, a yearly robe, or sum of money for the robe. So of a chamber, and stable for my horses, when the same is coupled with other things....” Sir Henry Finch, Law, or a Discourse Thereof 162 (1759).

Explanation: This quote from Sir Henry Finch explains that a corrody is a provision for one's sustenance, which could include food, clothing, and even accommodations for horses. The individual would receive these provisions in exchange for their property.