Possible Clues:

• 'The even mead, that ___ brought sweetly forth ...': 'Henry V'
• At an earlier time, in an earlier time
• '... which ___ from heat did canopy the herd': Shak
• Once, a long time ago
• Substitute neither first nor last at first
• Before, to the Bard
• Before, formerly
• Previously archaic?
• Formerly, in former times
• While opener?