It's in Ancient Ballads ... originally published by The Percy Society in 1846. The version collected is discussed as part of the traditional harvest celebrations in Devon and Cornwall, so it's certainly earlier than 1840.

Chappell (1859) connects it with one of the Freemen's Songs in Deuteromelia, which would take it back another 250 years or so. However, I can't really see any serious likeness.

:-)