Previous, past, ancient; fern daies, days gone by; fern yer, the previous year; a bygone age, an earlier time; also, as adv. phrase: last year; in ages past, in an earlier age.
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(a) Formerly, long ago; hou fern, how long ago; (b) for a long time, long since; so fern, for so long a time; wel fern; (c) fern ago, ago fern, long ago.
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