The RSCDS claims this dance was collected in Shetland.

RSCDS Book 5 attributes this to Caledonian Country Dances, ~1754. Several people were publishing works with that title around that time, but I can't find this dance in any of them (or none that I have access to).

Note: RSCDS Book 10, for the dance The Lady's Breist Knot has a more nearly complete attribution: "Jno Johnson Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II, c. 1754" but I still can't find it.

Note: RSCDS Book 28, for the dance Not I contains the comment "The source given is Caledonian Country Dances, 1754 but attempts to trace this manuscript have been unsuccessful.

Johnson calls the dance The Scotch Ramble and writes:

First Cu. cast off two Cu. Lead up to the Top and cast off Hands 4 round with the 3^d. Cu. Right hands and Left with the 2^d. Cu. foot it at both Corners & turn Lead out on both sides and turn

From the Holmain MS (dated sometime between 1710 and 1750):

First sett & cast down, sett & cast down again, then lead up & cast down one pair, then right & left, then sett to the 2d woman, she to the 1st man, & turn them, then set to the 1st woman, she to the 2d man, & turn your partner, then lead down & cast up & turn your partner, lead up & cast down & turn your partner.

Skillern (1776), Longman & Broderip (1790), Bartholomew Cooke (1796), Bland & Weller (1800), and Wilson (1809, 1816) published dances with this name, but their figures do not match that of the RSCDS.

The RSCDS attributes this to Bremner's work: A Second Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances, which they date variously to ~1757 and ~1765. In ~1765 Bremner published A Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances; a work which only contains tunes with no figures. According to Hugh Thurston the second collection was published in London in 1769. As far as I can tell, what was published in London was actually titled: For the Year 1769. A Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances. At any rate, that work contains this dance.

Cast off two couples lead up to the Top and cast off set cross corners swing corners and swing your partner and lead outsides

Rutherford spells this dance as "The Crocked Horn'd Ewe".

The first Cu. Lead thro the 2^d. Cu. & cross over into y^e. 3^d. Cu.^s Place The 2^d. does the same The 3^d. Cu. casts off into their own Place, then the 3 Men turns their Partners & the first Cu. cross over two Cu. Lead up to the Top foot it & cast off Lead thro y^e. 3^d. Cu. cast up into y^e. 2^d. Cu.^s Place & turn your Partner

Thompson writes:

The 1^st. and 2^nd. Cu. hands across Left hands back again 1^st. Cu. cast off. the Man hands round with the 3^rd. and the Wo. with the 2^nd. the 1^st. Man heys with the 3^rd. Cu. and the Wo. with the 2^nd. Cu. Set contrary corners and turn lead thro' Bottom & Top and turn

May be found in the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library online collection: Johnson Vol. 8.

Johnson writes:

First and 2^d. Cu. foot Partners then foot sideways Cross over 2 Cu. Lead up to the Top and cast off the Man whole figure at Bottom and Wo. the same at top at the same time Hands across at Bottom Right and Left at Top

The original music consists of a 4 bar A strain and an 8 bar B strain. The A music appears to be repeated 4 times, the B twice.

Johnson's book is undated, Robert Keller provides 1752 as a date. The RSCDS attributes this dance to Thompson, 1755, but Johnson probably published the figure (the same words even) earlier.

The RSCDS has changed Cross over 2 Cu. Lead up to the Top and cast off (which means, 1s cross by right, go below 2s, cross by left, go below 3s, then lead up and cast down) into a weaving pattern through the other couples which catches the spirit of the movement if not the exact nature of it.

They also changed the figure of eights into reels, which basically follow the same tracks for the 1s but give the others something to do.

Finally they have changed Right and Left at Top to a "left hands across". The right and left would have needed to fit into four bars, instead of the normal 8, and 70% of the time Johnson follows a right hands across with a left hands back, so RSCDS may be right to consider this a misprint.

Thompson writes:

The 1^st. Cu. Foot it to the 2^nd Wo. hands three round Foot it to the 2^nd Man hands all four round lead down two Cu. and the 2^nd. and 3^rd. follows cross over and turn your Partner

Rutherford published an earlier version of this dance:

Foot it all four & Hands across quite Round Foot it and the same back again Gallop down the Middle & up again & Cast off Right Hand & Left

Thompson writes:

Hey contrary sides Hey your own sides cross over 2 Cu. Lead up the middle and cast off Hands 6 round and right and left at Top

Book 21 says "Collected from an old manuscript."

Both Walsh and Jackson published a dance with this name but a different figure (several publications between 1735 and 1755).

John Young (Playford) published a dance called 'Twas Within a Furlong of Edinborough Town in 1696, but its figure does not match this one.

Cahusac published Within a Mile of Edenburgh in 1795 with a figure which does match.

The RSCDS attributes this to Skillern (with the SCDDB giving a date of 1795). I am aware of two dance books published by Skillern in 1795 (For the Year 1795 Twelve Country Dances & Cotillions, and Twenty Four Country Dances for the Year 1795) and neither contains a dance with a name like this one. Nor can I find any dances with a name like this in any of the other works by Skillern of which I'm aware. The RSCDS may know of other works, or they may have changed the name beyond my ability to guess.

The RSCDS attributes this to Ladies New Pocket Companion (with no date nor publisher). I have been unable to find this work.

Book 24 has the comment: "Collected by Miss Jenny MacLaghlan."

Thompson writes:

Swing right hands & cast off one Cu the same again lead to the top & cast off lead to the bottom & cast up one whole figure at top & bottom then the same on your own sides 4 hnds round at bottom right and left at top .

Also published in The London Magazine:

Swing right hands and cast off one couple , the same again , lead to the top and cast off , lead to the bottom and cast up one , whole figure at the top and bottom , then the same on your own sides , four hands round at bottom , right and left at top .

Rutherford published the same figure a few years later, and used the same words. His work is online.

Rutherford writes:

The first Couple Clap & cast off & Hands across with the 3^d. Cu. Clap & cast up & Hands across with the 2^d. Cu. Cross over figure in Right Hand & Left

Both of them spell the name "Hooper's Jigg" (with two "g"s).