beforetime

Is this the beforetime for Johns, a memory of a time before he decided to be an artist, before he turned inward and began to live almost entirely in his head?

They did not mean to act any lie by this means, however, for the tin vessels were not made for the purposes of deception, but had been there beforetime.

Peradventure, if I had not been beforetime so careful of my favours, I had been woo'd and wedded with the best of 'em.

This fellow of Clare Hall, when I began to preach the gospel, became my enemy, and did me some injury in some ecclesiastical privileges which beforetime I had enjoyed.

He comes men know not how, when they are sitting with fastened doors He appears in the midst; He goes they know not where, and the disciples who beforetime were so full of curiosity, do not venture to ask whither He goes or where He abides.