A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

EVERY man for himself, and devil take the hindmost
The two earliest examples are more closely aligned in form to the following proverb. See also DEVIL take the hindmost.

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  1530 A. BARCLAY Eclogues (EETS) I. 1009 Eche man for him selfe, and the fiende for all. 1573 J. SANFORDE 108^V Euery man for him selfe; and the Deuill for all. 1858 D. M. MULOCK Women’s Thoughts about Women ii. The world is hard enough, for two- thirds of it are struggling for the dear life—’ each for himself, and de’il tak the hindmost.’ 1939 L. I. WILDER By Shores of Silver Lake xxv. There wasn’t any standing in line. .. It was each fellow for himself and devil take the hindmost. 2001 Spectator 24 Nov. 29 One senses that..Tories are hostile to that extra refinement of civilisation: it’s every man for himself, and devil take the hindmost. Remember what Mrs Thatcher said about not helping ‘lame ducks’.. ? ■ self-preservation
  

EVERY man for himself, and God for us all

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  1546 J. HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs II. ix. L2 Praie and shifte eche one for hym selfe, as he can. Every man for hym selfe, and god for us all. 1615 T. ADAMS White Devil (ed. 2) 83 That by-word, Euery man for himselfe, and God for vs all, is vncharitable, vngodly. 1830 MARRYAT King’s Own III. xiii. The captain.. ordered the sailor to leave the boat. ‘Every man for himself, and God for us all!’ was the cool answer of the refractory sea-man. 1979 Times 29 Dec. 12 Each for himself, and God for us all, as
  

the elephant said when he danced among the chickens. ■ self-preservation
EVERY man has his price

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  1734 W. WYNDHAM in Bee VIII. 97 ‘It is an old Maxim, that every Man has his Price,’ if you can but come up to it. 1798 W. COXE Memoirs of Sir Robert Walpole I. lxiv. The political axiom generally attributed to him [Walpole].. was perverted by leaving out the word those... He ascribed to the interested views of themselves.. the declaration of pretended patriots, of whom he said, ‘All those men have their price.’ 1845 G. P. R. JAMES Smuggler I. x. ‘You can do nothing with Mowle. He never took a penny in his life.’ ‘Oh, every man has his price.’ 1949 N. MAILER Naked & Dead II. xi. It was the sort of deal his father might have pulled. ‘Every man has his price.’ 2000 ‘C. AIRD’ Little Knell xiv. 162 ‘Howard Air’s accountants, sir, assure us that all their clients are men and women of unimpeachable integrity.’ ‘No such thing,’ came back Leeyes smartly. ‘Everyone’s got their price.’ "bribery and corruption