Charity for the destitute and poor. Such giving was deemed one of the duties of a monastery and the wealthy. Alms were doled out on a monastery's patron saint's day, for example, or on the anniversary of its founder's death, and on Good Friday; also on Good Friday one penny was given to all who came. Endowments were left for alms-giving. [< OldEngl. xlmysse, xlmesse = alms]
Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases. Christopher Coredon with Ann Williams.