The song was issued on broadsides as 'The Farmer' during the 19th century (see several editions at the Bodleian website), and appeared in The Universal Songster and similar publications. Mugs quoting from it appear from the mid-18th century onward.

Like a lot of other people, Eric Winter wrote a tune for it; his may be the best known among revival singers. Collectors don't seem to have paid much attention to the song (like as not they already knew it from the mugs) but Dr Gardiner got a set from Frank Gamblin at Portsmouth Workhouse, August 1907, which appears in Marrow Bones.

For more information, see thread Farmer's Toast / Godspeed the Plough, which provides links to other discussions and two (unattributed) texts in the DT.