Ralph of the Scar

Origin
While the Sheriff has always had men they were not personally named in the days of yore and Ralph the Sheriff's man only gained his when Anthony Munday bestowed it upon him in 1598. He first appears in the play when the Sheriff and his man Warman are trying to hang Will Scarlet and Will Scathlock, who are in this version half brothers with the same mother. Ralph refuses to become the new hangman when their executioner proves to have injured himself giving Robin Hood and Little John ample time to rescue both Wills.

In Robin Hood
Ralph is one of the Sheriff of Nottingham's men who frequents the Blue Boar Inn in Howard Pyle's version of the tale. On one occasion he told Eadom, the proprietor of the Blue Boar, of the Sheriff's plan to use an archery contest to lure Robin in and capture him. Eadom then sent a warning along to Robin of the Sheriff's plan through David of Doncaster since he liked the outlaws and they were frequent loyal customers of his.

Literature:

 * 1883 Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

Stage:

 * 1598 The Downfall of Robert, Earle of Huntington by Anthony Munday