Roger Bacon
Bacon was born around 1214 AD, at the base of the Virgo figure in the Glastonbury Landscape Zodiac, in the village of Ilchester, Somerset. He was a Franciscan monk, a scientist, and an alchemist. He believed that principles of spiritual purification, herbs, and planetary influences could be used to create the Elixir of Life within the human body. Certain traditions say he was successful in this quest, and is alive today. There is an uncertainty about the supposed year of his "death". Often, this is a clue that we may be dealing with an Immortal: Confusion about the year of their death; no grave; or no body in the grave. Bacon disappears somewhere after 1292 AD.
Bacon worked in Oxford and Paris, and produced many writings. His activities brought him into conflict with the authorities of his era, and he spent time in prison. Pope Clement IV supported Bacon's work for a number of years. 300 years after his disappearance, around the time of Shakespeare, Roger Bacon had come to symbolise the archetypal magician and alchemist. The 20th century Immortalist writer, Annalee Skarin, regarded him as one of the great Immortals. His life has stimulated the imaginations of several 20th century novelists. There are two outstanding novels about Bacon that are worth tracking down: The Brazen Head, by John Cowper Powys; and Doctor Mirabilis, by James Blish.
Among the special abilities attributed to Bacon were bodily teleportation, and the power to expand or contract the subjective experience of time. One thing is certain: Roger Bacon devoted all his efforts towards the attainment of physical immortality. May his dedication to the Great Work inspire others to devote themselves to the same goal.
