You all know the type. The hardy traveler with nothing but a sword at his side and the clothes on his back, wandering the world in search of adventure, battling evil-doers with his trusty steed. Now while I assume it's safe to say that there weren't many fair maidens being rescued from tall towers or dragons being slain, were there fellows like the commonly portrayed adventurer/ranger type of hero often seen in games and movies?
The idea of these types of heroes certainly existed by the 1600s, since Don Quixote was written (in 1605) to mock the chivalric novels that were popular at that time. In a way, Odysseus is also the same type of character, albeit travelling on a ship with a crew not alone on a horse. This doesn't answer the question, but it shows this type of character has a very long history in popular culture. I'm sure someone can expand more on this.