Georgious Agricola
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I, Georgious
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The following incident happened after a book signing of my world renowned tome which was later translated in English to the captivating title of The Arts of Mining and Smelting. I say humbly that at the time of its release it was a must read for Latin scholars. It raced off the shelves.
I was preparing to depart for the Rialto to catch up with the latest gossip from the Venice Diggers and Dealers conference when I ran into Bishop Innocent of the Capuchin Friars, an order founded by Francis of Assisi.
The Bishop suggested a quick caffe macchiato to discuss a tip picked up in the confessional. There was talk that the Saxony delegation was looking to raise funds for a new company with the working title of Argentum Infinitum.
It appeared that a number of artisanal diggers in Brandenburg had intersected significant traces of silver in a weird structure resembling the seams in a pair of pantaloons. I said I would make some inquiries.
When I got to the bridge it was a hive of activity. I approached Spendaccione the geologist to sound him out about anything gleaned at the conference. He had nothing to report. The same response from Impudente the metallurgist.
More intriguing was the reaction from dealer Machiavelli of Baksheesh Partners who was unusually coy.
I ran into his analyst Casanova who quickly buried a considerable screed into his satchel as I approached. Something was clearly afoot.
Given the suspected involvement of the Baksheesh brigands my next port of call was an easy decision. Their go-to underwriter Conte Di Medici head of the Venice office of the London domiciled East India Usury Company.
He was a daily Mass attendant and Bishop Innocent had a record of a litany of Medici family sins.
The Conte was persuaded to demonstrate great piety by granting a healthy allocation in the heavily oversubscribed float.
We dispersed the shares in the name of the Church between three listing platforms, the New Amsterdam Stock Casino, the Frankfurter Wastepapier Borse, and the Van Diemen's Land Casualties Market.
Now the final plank in our plan. Ensure a buoyant aftermarket to stag into.
That was safely secured over a sumptuous lunch with Fibber the scribbler and Charlatan editor of venerable journal the San Marco Caveat Emptor.
Bishop Innocent broke open a fine bottle of Santa Maria Vinello di Siena, a gift from his cousin Pope Urban VIII.
It washed down beautifully the La Degustazione menu at the Trattoria Poste Vecie as we toasted the sunset above the Rialto and bade farewell to another successful Venice Diggers and Dealers.
(With apologies to Dante). Robert Kennedy
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