This article is about the phrase. You may be looking for the musical cue "Parley".

Parley. I invoke the right of parley. According to the Code of the Brethren set down by the pirates Morgan and Bartholomew, you have to take me to your captain."

"I know the Code."

"If an adversary demands parley, you can do them no harm until the parley is complete." ―Elizabeth Swann and Pintel [src]

Parley, often stylized as parlay, was a negotiation conference especially one between enemies over terms of a truce or other matters. The root of the word parley is parler, which is the French verb "to speak"; specifically the conjugation parlez "you speak", whether as imperative or indicative. The term written as "parlay" on the Pirata Codex was known as a right in the Code of the Pirate Brethren, set down by Morgan and Bartholomew, that allowed any person to invoke temporary protection and brought before the captain to "negotiate" without being attacked until the parley is complete.

Contents show]

History Edit

Parley? Damn to the depths whatever muttonhead thought up 'parley'!"

"That would be the French." ―Pintel and Jack Sparrow [src]

Beginning in the High Middle Ages with the expansion of monarchs, a parley, or "talk", was a meeting held between kings and their Chief Retainers. Parleys were part of the many changes in Europe, especially regarding governments. These meetings can be attributed to the formation of parliaments, which are derived from a similar root, parliamentum, simply meaning "talking".

In the Golden Age of Piracy, the term "parlay", as written in the Pirata Codex, was known as a right set down by Morgan and Bartholomew in creating the Code of the Pirate Brethren that allowed a pirate or any other individual (i.e. Elizabeth Swann) to be taken by a crew member to the captain of their ship to discuss a treaty, negotiation, etc. without being attacked until the parley is complete. Parleys generally ended successfully, but often pirates, like Hector Barbossa would bend the rules of the Code as "guidelines" to uphold their own ambitions.[1]

Sometimes, to call for parlay on the open sea, pirates would hoist the white flag with the black skull and crossbones, the typical Jolly Roger with the reversed colors. However, by the time of Jack Sparrow's quest for the Heart of Zerzura, the flag wasn't used so much as before, as many pirates just used a white flag with no symbols at all.[2]

Notable Parleys Edit

Official Edit

The following occurred after an individual invoked the right by saying "Parley".

Unofficial Edit

The following occurred between individuals, but without the use of saying "Parley".

Behind the scenes Edit

The term is spelled "parlay" in the Pirata Codex , apparently a mistake, though this may simply have been intended as a non-standardized, in-universe spelling.

, apparently a mistake, though this may simply have been intended as a non-standardized, in-universe spelling. In the non-canonical game, Kingdom Hearts II , there was a parley between Luxord and Sora, Donald, Goofy and Jack Sparrow at Port Royal. Another parley would occur between the same characters in Kingdom Hearts III .

, there was a parley between Luxord and Sora, Donald, Goofy and Jack Sparrow at Port Royal. Another parley would occur between the same characters in . In real life, the parley is a discussion or conference, especially one between enemies over terms of a truce or other matters, and it was also common in shipping. However, unlike the movies' parley, it was not included in any of the preserved ship's articles, the real life inspiration for the Code of the Pirate Brethren; therefore it is unknown if it was observed by pirates.

Appearances Edit