There are a number of the 19th Century broadside versions at the Bodleian site.

Pitts, London (1819-1844) - Firth c.18(159), Harding B 25(1583), Harding B 17(2480)
Wright, Birmingham (1831-1837) - Harding B 28(120)
March & Co, London (1877-1884) - Firth b.28(2)
Ingram & co, London - Firth b.28(3a/b)

(the latter two are in collections of songs).


Here a transcript of one of them Firth c.18(159)

The Queen of Hearts
Pitts Printer Wholesale Toy and Marble
warehouse 6, Great St. andrew street
7 Dials

O my poor heart my poor heart is breaking
For a false young man I'm quite mistaken
He is gone to Ireland long time to tary,
Some Irish girl I am afraid he will marry.

The Queen of Hearts and the Ace of sorrow,
He is here today and gone tomorrow
Young men are plenty sweethearts few
But if my love leaves me what shall I do.

When he comes in I gaze all around him
When he goes out my poor heart goes with him
To meet is a pleasure to part is a sorrow,
He is here today and gone tomorow.

I wish I was upon yonder mountain
Where gold and silver I could have for counting
I could not count it for thinking upon him
He is nothing to me what makes me love him

I love my father I love my mother,
I love my sister and likewise my brother
I love my friends and relations too,
I will forsake them all and follow you

O Billy O Billy I love you well,
I love you better than tongue can tell
I love you dearly and dare not show it
You do the same and no one shall know it

But when her father came to hear
That he was courting his daughter dear
He had him pressed and sent to sea
To keep him from her sweet company

He had not been there years passing three
On board the ship called the Victory
It was his misfortune there for to fall
And killed he was by cannon ball.


The text of the broadside versions from th 19th Century at least partly explain why The Queen of Hearts is not found earlier.
(a) These versions mention Victory so probably date from after Trafalgar
(b) The Queen of Hearts verse isn't the first, and earlier versions may not have been called by this title
(c) These versions have a rather different burden than the one collected from a traditional source (particularly in the last 2 verses).

:-)
Ian