One of the obligations or *feudal incidents of a tenant requiring him to make payments of money to his lord. Requests were prompted by many occasions; however, *Magna Carta imposed limits. *Bracton distinguished between services or concomitant services and 'reasonable aids', i.e. the giving of money. The occasions permitted for the request of an aid were: the knighting of an eldest son, and the first marriage of an eldest daughter. Others were for the need or indigence of the lord, e.g. the giving of money for a ransom to release the lord.
Cf. Tallage
Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases. Christopher Coredon with Ann Williams.