Answer: erst

AnswerCrossword Clue
ERST"... which .. was irksome to me": Shakespeare
ERSTAt an earlier time, earlier
ERSTOld-style "once"
ERSTPreviously, once
ERSTWhile beginning
ERSTWhile starter
ERSTArchaic adverb
ERSTOnce before?
ERSTWhile beginning?
ERSTBefore now, before now
ERSTFormerly, once
ERST"...which .. was irksome to me": "As You Like It"
ERST"The even mead, that .. brought sweetly forth - The freckled cowslip": "Henry V"
ERSTBefore, before
ERSTOnce, at one time
ERSTOnce, long ago
ERSTPreviously, old-style
ERSTFormerly, previously
ERSTAforetime
ERSTAt one time, once
erstformerly, also EARST
ERSTWhile opening?
ERSTFormer, formerly
ERSTFormerly formerly
ERSTOnce, once
ERSTOnce, upon a time
ERSTPrefix for while
ERSTAt one time, at one time
ERSTEarly earlier
ERSTWhile opener
ERSTWhile opening
ERSTFormerly, formerly
ERSTWhilom
ERSTArchaic "formerly"
ERSTFormerly, old-style
ERSTFormerly, in olden days
ERSTOld-style "formerly"
ERSTBefore a while?
ERSTOnce, once upon a time
ERSTPrefix with "while"