Rath; Rathe

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

Coming before others, or before the usual time; early. [Obs. or Poetic] Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies. Milton.

Part of speech: adverb (adv.)

Early; soon; betimes. [Obs. or Poetic] Why rise ye up so rathe Chaucer. Too rathe cut off by practice criminal. Spencer.