Before, to bards (3)
I believe the answer is:
ere
'before to bards' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for ere that I've seen before include "One who steals" , "Archaic word for before - a palindrome" , "Before (in time)" , "Before (literary)" , "Before (in poetry)" .)