Talk:needs must when the devil drives

Earlier sources
According to online information, the earliest source is in John Lydgate’s 'Assembly of Gods', ca. 1420: “He must nedys go that the deuell dryves”. Marlowe uses it in 'Doctor Faustus' (ca.1590) as does Shakespeare a few years later. To me, this says it was proverbial decades before the source you quote. Chrismorey (talk) 11:08, 3 April 2023 (UTC)