In Shakespeare's The Tempest, a storm rages as the nobles are aboard their ship. The boatswain is, at the moment, very occupied with the matters are hand. They are trying to prevent the ship from breaking up in the storm, and the nobles depart from their quarters to ask them why the ship is buffeting about. The boatswain knows that he obviously is doing everything he can to prevent the disturbance, but he nobles are getting in the way of the sailors. Here is the exchange between the nobles and the boatswain:
ANTONIO: Where is the master, boatswain?
BOATSWAIN: Do you not hear him? You mar our labor: keep your cabins: you do assist the storm.
GONZALO: Nay, good, be patient.
BOATSWAIN: When the sea is. Hence! What cares these roarers for the name of the king? To cabin: silence! Trouble us not.
The boatswain is understandably frustrated because they are doing everything they can to keep the ship upright and safe in the storm, but the nobles are walking through and interrupting everyone's work. Their arrival prevents them from doing their job in that moment, and the boatswain lashes out angrily at them.
It's the opening scene of The Tempest, and the royal party's ship is being battered and buffeted by a violent storm whipped up by the vengeful Prospero. The most important nobles aboard the ship emerge from their cabins and go on deck to see what's happening. But the boatswain's not very happy about the nobles' appearance; they're getting in the way of the crew's work at such a dangerous time:
Do you not hear him? You mar our labour: keep your cabins: you do assist the storm.
The boatswain is no respecter of rank and reputation at the moment. He has a job to do, and he's not about to be prevented from doing it by anyone, no matter how socially important they may be. The crashing waves that batter and buffet the ship don't care that there are kings and officials aboard, and nor does he. So the boatswain has no hesitation in telling the king and the other worthies to shut up and go back to their cabins:
When the sea is. Hence! What cares these roarers for the name of king? To cabin, silence! Trouble us not.
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