Devil take the hindmost

This saying means 'to hell with anyone who lags behind or comes last' and, of course, no one likes to lag behind or come last in any endeavour. It is first recorded in Beaumont and Fletcher’s 1620 play Philaster, “The devil take the hindmost!.” It was probably a well-known expression before this date, some sources say from as long ago as medieval times, but to date no earlier citations have come to light than the 1620 play.