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Green’s Dictionary of Slang

jack sprat n.¹

[the name survives mainly in the nursery rhyme, which itself post-dated it: its first appearance in print was 1570, while the nursery rhyme was first published in 1639]

a small person, a dwarf.

1570		Marriage of Wit and Science V v: But what, no force ye are but Jack Sprot to mee.
1670		J. Ray Proverbs 211: Jack Sprat he loved no fat.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Jack-sprat, a Dwarf, or very little fellow, a Hop-on-my-thumb.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1818		‘Thomas Brown’ Fudge Family in Paris Letter III 28: There never was seen such a race of Jack Sprats.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1839		Manchester Courier 29 June 2/3: The little knowing-looking cockney orator, who they call Jack Sprat.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1862		E. de la Bédollière Londres et les Anglais 315/2: jack sprat, petit homme.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1881		Trumble Sl. Dict. (1890).