In earlier times, a good man (5)

I believe the answer is:

prior

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'man' is the definition.
(I have seen 'holy man' mean 'prior' so perhaps 'man' could also mean 'prior')

I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for prior that I've seen before include "English keeper" , "Former - holy man" , "Certainly not succeeding" , "Source of poetry in 17th century" , "Former - cleric" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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