According to William Chappell (Ballad Literature and Popular Music of the Olden Time, 1859), The College Hornpipe was the tune to which Jack's the Lad was sung.  He adds, "A copy of the words, printed in Seven Dials, was once in my possession."

Nowadays such things are often easily found; there are a number of copies at  Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads.  The following is transcribed from a sheet printed between 1802 and 1819 by J. Pitts, Wholesale Toy and Marble Warehouse, Great St. Andrew street, 7 Dials, London.

JACK'S THE LAD

(Bodleian Library, Harding B 25[944] )

Our ship's a port so here I be,
With a heart as light as a cork d'ye see
'Pon larboard quarter Poll is jigging,
Dressed all in a Sunday rigging,
Wench and fiddle always makes a sailor glad
Old Nipperkin the landlord keeps the grog afloat
And kindly is the liquor handed down each throat
For if ever sailor took delight in kissing swigging jigging, dancing fighting
Damme I'll be bold to say that Jacks the lad.
With my tol de rol; &c

Cheerly my hearts ye know Jack Spry;
So full of ropes and rigs that I-
D'ye hear the mer[ ]ry fiddle going,
Blood it sets me off a toeing
That'd be Catgut College Hornpipe brisk old dad,
Now for a reel Sir David Hunter Blair that's Scotch,
Or Langolee or anything but French or Duch
For if ever fellow took delight in swigging kissing dancing fighting
Damme I'll be bold to say that Jacks the lad.

My locker's rich -the devil a mite
Why here is a pretty rig Yes I'm right,
An old friend like a blubbering ninny
Lookd distressed like got my guinea
Can't help snivelling somehow when I see folks sad
But howsoever should I have luck to fall once more
Long side monnsier homeward bound he'll pay the score,
For if ever fellow took delight in swigging kissing dancing fighting
Damme I'll be bold to say that Jacks the lad.

Huzza! a gun- the signal's made
All hands on board the anchor's weigh'd
Lord how the girls by scores are flying,
Fore and aft all sobbing crying,
Thoughts of parting makes them all run roaring mad
But honour bids her gallant sons to glory go
So off again we send to lick the saucy foe
For if ever fellow took delight in swigging kissing dancing fighting
Damme I'll be bold to say that Jacks the lad.

Spelling and punctuation as given; other examples differ in detail.  A little ingenuity is needed to sing it to the tune under discussion, particulary in the first verse where additional syllables are required.


The following was also sung to the same tune, and is taken from a broadside printed between 1819 and 1844, again by Pitts.

JACK ROBINSON

(Bodleian Library, Harding B 17[143b].  Tune: The College Hornpipe)

The perils and dangers of the voyage pass'd,
And the ship to Portsmouth arrived at last,
The sails all furl'd and the anchor cast,
The happiest of the crew was Jack Robinson;
For his Poll he had trinkets and gold galore,
Besides of prize money quite a store,
And along with the crew he went ashore,
As cockswain to the boat, Jack Robinson.
Tol de rol, &c.

He met with a man, and said, I say
Mayhap you may know one Polly Gray,
She lives somewhere hereabouts. The man said nay
I do not indeed to Jack Robinson;
Says he to him I've left my ship,
And all my messmates gave the slip,
Maybe you'll partake of a good cann of flip,
For you're a civil fellow says Jack Robinson.
Tol de rol, &c.

In a public house then they both set down,
And talked of Admirals of high renown,
And drank as much grog as came to half a crown,
This here strange man and Jack Robinson,
Then Jack called out the reck'ning to pay;
The landlady came in, in fine array,
My eyes and limbs why here's Polly Gray,
Who'd thought of meeting here, says Jack Robinson.
Tol de rol, &c.

The landlady stagger'd her back against the wall,
And said at first she did not know him at all,
Shiver me, says Jack, why here's a pretty squall,
Dam'me don't you know me, I'm Jack Robinson,
Don't you know this handkerchief you giv'd to me,
'Twas three years ago, before I went to sea,
Every day I look'd at it and thought of thee,
Upon my soul I have, says Jack Robinson.
Tol de rol, &c.

Says the lady says she, I've changed my state,
Why you don't mean says Jack, that you've got a mate;
You know you promis'd me, says she, I couldn't wait,
For no tidings could I gain of you, Jack Robinson
And somebody one day, came to me, and said,
That somebody else had somewhere read,
In some newspaper as how you was dead,
I've not been dead at all, says Jack Robinson.
Tol de rol, &c.

Then he turn'd his quid finished his glass,
Hitch'd up his trowsers, -alas! alas!
That ever I should live to be made such an ass
To be bilk'd by a woman, says Jack Robinson,
But to fret and stew about it much is all in vain,
I'll get a ship and go to Holland France and Spain,
No matter where, to Portsmouth I'll ne'er come back again,
And he was off before they could say, Jack Robinson.
Tol de rol, &c.


Whether the common expression Before you could say Jack Robinson derives from this song or pre-dates it, I have no idea.