The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Had \Had\ (h[a^]d), imp. & p. p. of Have. [OE. had, hafde,
   hefde, AS. h[ae]fde.]
   See Have.
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   Had as lief, Had rather, Had better, Had as soon,
      etc., with a nominative and followed by the infinitive
      without to, are well established idiomatic forms. The
      original construction was that of the dative with forms of
      be, followed by the infinitive. See Had better, under
      Better.
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            And lever me is be pore and trewe.
            [And more agreeable to me it is to be poor and
            true.]                                --C. Mundi
                                                  (Trans.).
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            Him had been lever to be syke.
            [To him it had been preferable to be sick.]
                                                  --Fabian.
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            For him was lever have at his bed's head
            Twenty bookes, clad in black or red, . . .
            Than robes rich, or fithel, or gay sawtrie.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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   Note: Gradually the nominative was substituted for the
         dative, and had for the forms of be. During the process
         of transition, the nominative with was or were, and the
         dative with had, are found.
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               Poor lady, she were better love a dream. --Shak.
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               You were best hang yourself.       --Beau. & Fl.
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               Me rather had my heart might feel your love
               Than my unpleased eye see your courtesy. --Shak.
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               I hadde levere than my scherte,
               That ye hadde rad his legende, as have I.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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               I had as lief not be as live to be
               In awe of such a thing as I myself. --Shak.
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               I had rather be a dog and bay the moon,
               Than such a Roman.                 --Shak.
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               I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my
               God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
                                                  --Ps. lxxxiv.
                                                  10.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rather \Rath"er\ (r[a^][th]"[~e]r; 277), adv. [AS. hra[eth]or,
   compar. of hra[eth]e, hr[ae][eth]e, quickly, immediately. See
   Rath, a.]
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   1. Earlier; sooner; before. [Obs.]
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            Thou shalt, quod he, be rather false than I.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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            A good mean to come the rather to grace. --Foxe.
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   2. More readily or willingly; preferably.
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            My soul chooseth . . . death rather than my life.
                                                  --Job vii. 15.
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   3. On the other hand; to the contrary of what was said or
      suggested; instead.
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            Was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. --Mark
                                                  v. 26.
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   4. Of two alternatives conceived of, this by preference to,
      or as more likely than, the other; somewhat.
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            He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain,
            And nowhere finding, rather feared her slain.
                                                  --Dryden.
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   5. More properly; more correctly speaking.
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            This is an art
            Which does mend nature, change it rather, but
            The art itself is nature.             --Shak.
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   6. In some degree; somewhat; as, the day is rather warm; the
      house is rather damp.
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   The rather, the more so; especially; for better reason; for
      particular cause.
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            You are come to me in happy time,
            The rather for I have some sport in hand. --Shak.
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   Had rather, or Would rather, prefer to; prefers to; as,
      he had rather, or would rather go than stay. "I had rather
      speak five words with my understanding than ten thousand
      words in an unknown tongue." --1 Cor. xiv. 19. See Had
      rather, under Had.
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