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The Pirates' Guidelines

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The Pirates' Code Guidelines: A Booke for Those Who Desire to Keep to the Code and Live a Pirate's Life is a doubly fictional work attached to Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise. It is depicted as written by the character Joshamee Gibbs.

About the book[]

According to its own mythos, it was only rumored to exist until a copy was discovered, perfectly preserved, in the wreckage of the Titanic. This copy has been reprinted by Disney Editions as if it had at one time been in the possession of Gibbs himself, including hand-written notes in the margins; letters addressed to him from Jack Sparrow, William Turner, and Elizabeth Swann; and the author's own drawings and mementos. Gibbs' authoritative text includes such topics as the right of parley, the proper procedure for dividing shares of a prize, an extensive section on sailing terminology, the legend of Davy Jones, Will Turner's sword fighting tips, the means of lifting an Aztec curse, how to survive when confronted by cannibals, and never-before-seen details on the mysterious history of the Black Pearl.

The title is a play on a recurring line from the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, in which multiple characters, after referencing the Pirates' Code, remind others that "they're more like guidelines" and need not be followed too closely.

This book and the Code used in the films are loosely based on the actual codes and articles used by historical pirates.

Please note that while the Pirate Code may be fictional, real pirates would draw up articles for governing their ship. These articles depicted the right to vote for a captain, the right to boot the Captain over board (and so on).

Publisher's summary[]

To live the pirate life, it's important to keep to the code (of course real pirates know to treat these rules more like guidelines, anyway.) Contained in this authentic handbook is the Pirate Code, as originally devised by the Brethren Court of Pirate Lords. Also included are topics detailing everything aspiring buccaneers need to know in order to command the respect of fellow scalawags and pursue their hearts' deepest desires. The Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy of films has created a rich mythology from which to draw the following pearls of wisdom:

  • How to Swagger
  • Captain Jack Sparrow on Honesty
  • What to do When your Compass doesn't Work
  • How to Lift an Aztec Curse
  • How to Play Liar's dice
  • Elizabeth Swann's Additional Uses for a Wedding Dress
  • How to bead your Hair and Beard
  • Will Turner's Sword-fighting Tips
  • Identifying the Parts of a Ship
  • Pirate-to-English Dictionary
  • How to ward off the Black Spot

These indispensable tips will prove useful at sea or in port. Filled with the salty humor and lush dialogue from the incredibly popular movie trilogy, The Pirates of the Caribbean Guidelines provides instructional and humorous information—practical and nautical—accompanied by captivating full-color images of everyone's favorite pirates.

Back cover[]

Disney Editions is honored to present a facsimile reproduction of a lost treasure—one pirate's self-published recollections of the Pirates' Code (Which he considered to be more actual "guidelines") and the knowledge he acquired during his many years on the account. Author Joshamee Gibbs was First Mate to the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirate Lord of the Caribbean, and as such, he literally went to the ends of the earth and back in his adventures. Rumors of the existence of this book have circulated for generations. However, no complete edition of this book had ever been discovered—until now.

Gibbs's manual contains his interpretations of the Pirates' Code, including entries that detail proper procedure for the division of spoils and how to invoke the right of Parlay, as well as sage advice on how to live the pirates' life, encompassing such extensive topics as what to do if you are stranded on an island of cannibals; the best way to walk on a ship; an encyclopedic section on ship terminology and sailing tips; and his personal stories of the many myths and legends of the sea, such as the Flying Dutchman and the treasure of Isla de Muerta.

- From the Editors' Introduction

Also reprinted are pieces of artwork, ephemera, and letters found within, plus handwritten comments and a personal inscription to an unknown recipient, verifying that this copy was in the author's possession. This book is a scan of the original, presented for your enjoyment and education in the hopes that Joshamee's words will help you live a pirate's life.

Continuity[]

The Pirates' Code Guidelines is a 2007 providing in-depth in-universe details as presented in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man's Chest, and At World's End, notably written by screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio.[2][3][4] The background for The Pirates' Guidelines was that it was originally written by Joshamee Gibbs; found inside a highly-decorated chest one of the most legendary ships to be lost at sea, the Titanic; and later found its way to an antiquarian book dealer, who happened to be the mother of an editor at Disney Publishing. However, as with most Pirates media, there may be inconsistency.

According to The Pirates' Guidelines, the First Meeting of the Brethren Court convened in the days before the great Hellenic society of Greece was founded.[5] While unconfirmed, the idea was adapted into the Special Edition of the At World's End junior novelization, in which Tia Dalma/Calypso told Davy Jones she spent centuries not knowing what she was.[6] Calypso's "centuries-long imprisonment" was also detailed in the 2010 version of the official website.[7] However, according to screenwriter Terry Rossio, "the 'time Greece was founded' is far too early and makes no sense. For there to be a Court you need pirates to gather from all over the world, and that sort of thing wasn't happening then."[8]

Captain Teague, was named Pirate Lord of Madagascar and Keeper of the Code.[9] While it was likely based on Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio's screenplay for At World's End,[10] the final cut of the film only features nine Pirate Lords of the Fourth Brethren Court: Ammand, Chevalle, Sri Sumbhajee, Mistress Ching, Gentleman Jocard, Elizabeth Swann (Sao Feng's successor), Hector Barbossa, Eduardo Villanueva (named "Vallenueva"), and Jack Sparrow, while Teague only remained Keeper of the Code.[4] Teague being Pirate Lord of Madagascar, as well as Keeper of the Code, was notably featured in the 2011 novel Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom by A. C. Crispin.[11]

A "Map of the Brethren Court" by Bret Healey, David Kim, Rich Tuzon, and Ronald Velasquez featured the pirate flags from all nine Pirate Lords had a few errors, include the spelling of "Mistres" Ching, "Vallenueva" for Villanueva, as well as Sao Feng's flag being the black flag with a red skeleton dangling in the center rather than the more notable purple flag with a golden hand holding a sword with Chinese letters next to it.[12] The map design from The Pirates' Guidelines was also featured in The Secret Files of the East India Trading Company,[13] and the cover art for the book series Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the Brethren Court by Rob Kidd.[14]

Although the Black Pearl originally being the well-known merchant ship named Wicked Wench was covered in most media, namely promotional material for Dead Man's Chest,[15] as well as in the screenplay for At World's End,[10] The Pirates Guidelines was the first publicized book to include the backstory in full. As detailed in the book, Captain Jack Sparrow as an honest seaman, commissioned by Cutler Beckett on behalf of the East India Trading Company to pick up a cargo of humans, which Captain Sparrow refused to be involved, after which Beckett tracked down the Wicked Wench, set her ablaze and sunk into a watery grave, and had Sparrow branded as a pirate, all prior to Sparrow's bargain with Davy Jones,[16] which eventually leads into the events of Dead Man's Chest, in which Davy Jones confronts Jack Sparrow about the debt owed for Jones raising his old sunken ship for Sparrow.[3] The backstory of Jack Sparrow and the EITC merchant ship Wicked Wench would serve as the basis for A. C. Crispin's novel The Price of Freedom.[17]

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Notes and references[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Amazon.com: The Pirate Guidelines: A Book for Those Who Desire to Keep to the Code and Live a Pirate's Life: Books: Joshamee Gibbs - Archived
  2. ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
  5. ↑ The Pirates' Guidelines, p. 4
  6. ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (junior novelization)
  7. ↑ DisneyPirates.com
  8. ↑ Terry Rossio on the First Brethren Court setting
  9. ↑ The Pirates' Guidelines, p. 7
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Wordplayer.com: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio
  11. ↑ The Price of Freedom, Chapter Eight: The Devil in the Deep Blue Sea
  12. ↑ The Pirates' Code Guidelines, p. 11
  13. ↑ The Secret Files of the East India Trading Company
  14. ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the Brethren Court
  15. ↑ Dead Man's Chest.pdf Michael J. Ricciardi - Copywriter (June 1, 2006) (backup link)
  16. ↑ The Pirates' Code Guidelines, p. 104
  17. ↑ The Price of Freedom, Chapter Six: "The Wicked Wench"
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