Parley

"Parley? Damn to the depths whatever muttonhead thought up 'parley'!" "That would be the French."

- Pintel and Jack Sparrow

Parley, often stylized as parlay, was a discussion or 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 individual to meet the captain of a ship without being attacked until the parley is complete.

History
"Parley. I invoke the right of parley. According to the Code of the Brethren 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

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.

Official
The following occurred after an individual invoked the right by saying "Parley".
 * Elizabeth Swann, threatened by Pintel and Ragetti, invoked the right of parley during the attack on Port Royal and was taken aboard the Black Pearl to meet with Captain Hector Barbossa. Both Barbossa and Elizabeth (introduced as "Elizabeth Turner") agreed that if Elizabeth handed over her medallion, which Barbossa's crew were searching for, then Barbossa would have the Pearl leave Port Royal. This concluded with the pirate crew leaving Port Royal, but having taken Elizabeth with them.
 * When he was spotted at Isla de Muerta, Jack Sparrow, with the assistance of Ragetti, invoked the right of parley to Barbossa's crew. This led to a meeting of Jack and Barbossa, who haven't seen each other for 10 years, after Barbossa left Jack to die on a desert island. This concluded with Jack entering failed negotiations aboard the Black Pearl, which ended with Jack being thrown into the Pearl's brig.
 * After the crew of the Black Pearl returned from Davy Jones' Locker, Cotton's parrot said "parley" to Jack the Monkey when Jack pulled out a pistol on him. This occurred after when Jack Sparrow, Barbossa, Elizabeth, Will Turner and Joshamee Gibbs had their pistols pointed on each other. The details on his parley are uncertain, as it was merely Cotton's parrot who said it.
 * The great parley on the sandbar between the high representatives of the Brethren Court's fleet and the East India Trading Company armada, called upon by Captain Jack Sparrow. In this parley meeting, the leaders of the pirates and Company met to discuss an ending to the on-going war. During the parley, Jack Sparrow was traded with Will Turner in order to supplement his debt to Davy Jones. The direct result of this parley would be the battle of Calypso's maelstrom, in which the pirates achieved victory over the Company's armada as well as the death of Lord Cutler Beckett.

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


 * Aboard the Black Pearl, Will Turner negotiated with Hector Barbossa into freeing Elizabeth Swann and the crew of Jack Sparrow. This ended with Will becoming Barbossa's prisoner, as Barbossa's crew needed Will's blood, and the marooning of Jack and Elizabeth on Rumrunner's Isle.
 * At Isla de Muerta, Jack Sparrow entered in negotiations with Barbossa, where Jack coerced Barbossa into letting his crew fight and kill Commodore James Norrington's men of the British Royal Navy before lifting the curse. This ended with Barbossa agree to 25% of Jack's plunder and a hat, though would not get the chance as per the outcome of the battle to come.
 * Aboard the Black Pearl, Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones entered negotiations regarding Sparrow's debt. This ended with Jones removing the Black Spot from Jack's hand and with the agreement that Jack had to find 100 souls to settle his debt, though because Jones decided to keep Will Turner aboard his ship, the Flying Dutchman, Jack only had to find 99 souls. This ended when Jones returned Jack the Black Spot later.
 * In Singapore, Barbossa met with Sao Feng in his bathhouse regarding a voyage to the Davy Jones' Locker, continuing the attempt to rescue Jack Sparrow, who was taken to the Locker. The meeting ended sourly, as an ambush by the East India Trading Company bursted in. Fortunately, Sao Feng granted the navigational charts as well as a ship and crew to Barbossa; though Feng would betray Barbossa afterwards.
 * On an island, Jack Sparrow met with Blackbeard's crew in the jungles. During this meeting, Jack negotiated with Blackbeard for the Chalices by requesting the return of his compass, no harm was to be brought to Angelica, and the freedom of Joshamee Gibbs, who accompanied Jack to this meeting. This ended with Blackbeard accepting Jack's requests and claiming the Chalices.

Behind the scenes

 * 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.
 * In the non-canonical game, Kingdom Hearts II, there was a parley between Luxord and Sora, Donald, Goofy and Jack Sparrow at Port Royal.

Appearances

 * Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
 * Kingdom Hearts II