Attheendofthisprobation，andwhenhehadenteredhisfortiethyear，heemergedfromhissolitudeintomoreactivelife。Withsomeremainsofhisfortune，whichhadaccumulatedduringhisretirement，hefoundedacollegeforthestudyofArabic，whichwasapprovedofbythePope，withmanycommendationsuponhiszealandpiety。AtthistimehenarrowlyescapedassassinationfromanArabianyouthwhomhehadtakenintohisservice。RaymondhadprayedtoGod，insomeofhisaccessesoffanaticism，thathemightsuffermartyrdominhisholycause。Hisservanthadoverheardhim；and，beingasgreatafanaticashismaster，heresolvedtogratifyhiswish，andpunishhim，atthesametime，forthecurseswhichheincessantlylaunchedagainstMahometandallwhobelievedinhim，bystabbinghimtotheheart。He，therefore，aimedablowathismaster，ashesatonedayattable；buttheinstinctofself-preservationbeingstrongerthanthedesireofmartyrdom，Raymondgrappledwithhisantagonist，andoverthrewhim。Hescornedtotakehislifehimself；buthandedhimovertotheauthoritiesofthetown，bywhomhewasafterwardsfounddeadinhisprison。
AfterthisadventureRaymondtravelledtoParis，whereheresidedforsometime，andmadetheacquaintanceofArnolddeVilleneuve。Fromhimheprobablyreceivedsomeencouragementtosearchforthephilosopher’sstone，ashebeganfromthattimeforthtodevotelessofhisattentiontoreligiousmatters，andmoretothestudyofalchymy。Stillheneverlostsightofthegreatobjectforwhichhelived——theconversionoftheMahometans——andproceededtoRome，tocommunicatepersonallywithPopeJohnXXI，onthebestmeasurestobeadoptedforthatend。ThePopegavehimencouragementinwords，butfailedtoassociateanyotherpersonswithhimintheenterprisewhichhemeditated。Raymond，therefore，setoutforTunisalone，andwaskindlyreceivedbymanyArabianphilosophers，whohadheardofhisfameasaprofessorofalchymy。Ifhehadstucktoalchymywhileintheircountry，itwouldhavebeenwellforhim；buthebegancursingMahomet，andgothimselfintotrouble。WhilepreachingthedoctrinesofChristianityinthegreatbazaarofTunis，hewasarrestedandthrownintoprison。Hewasshortlyafterwardsbroughttotrial，andsentencedtodeath。Someofhisphilosophicfriendsintercededhardforhim，andhewaspardoned，uponconditionthatheleftAfricaimmediately，andneveragainsetfootinit。Ifhewasfoundthereagain，nomatterwhathisobjectmightbe，orwhateverlengthoftimemightintervene，hisoriginalsentencewouldbecarriedintoexecution。Raymondwasnotatallsolicitousofmartyrdomwhenitcametothepoint，whateverhemighthavebeenwhentherewasnodanger，andhegladlyacceptedhislifeupontheseconditions，andleftTuniswiththeintentionofproceedingtoRome。Heafterwardschangedhisplan，andestablishedhimselfatMilan，where，foralengthoftime，hepractisedalchymy，andsomesayastrology，withgreatsuccess。
Mostwriterswhobelievedinthesecretsofalchymy，andwhohavenoticedthelifeofRaymondLulli，assert，thatwhileinMilan，hereceivedlettersfromEdwardKingofEngland，invitinghimtosettleinhisstates。Theyadd，thatLulligladlyacceptedtheinvitation，andhadapartmentsassignedforhisuseintheTowerofLondon，whereherefinedmuchgold；superintendedthecoinageof“rose-nobles；“andmadegoldoutofiron，quicksilver，lead，andpewter，totheamountofsixmillions。Thewritersinthe“BiographieUniverselle，“anexcellentauthorityingeneral，denythatRaymondwaseverinEngland，andsay，thatinallthesestoriesofhiswondrouspowersasanalchymist，hehasbeenmistakenforanotherRaymond，aJew，ofTarragona。Naude，inhis“Apologie，“says，simply，“thatsixmillionsweregivenbyRaymondLullitoKingEdward，tomakewaragainsttheTurksandotherinfidels:“notthathetransmutedsomuchmetalintogold；but，asheafterwardsadds，thatheadvisedEdwardtolayataxuponwool，whichproducedthatamount。ToshowthatRaymondwenttoEngland，hisadmirersquoteaworkattributedtohim，“DeTransmutationeAnimaeMetallorum，“inwhichheexpresslysays，thathewasinEnglandattheintercessionoftheKing。[VidimusomniaistadumadAngliamtransiimus，propterintercessionemDominiRegisEdoardiillustrissimi。]ThehermeticwritersarenotagreedwhetheritwasEdwardI，orEdwardII，whoinvitedhimover；but，byfixingthedateofhisjourneyin1312，theymakeitappearthatitwasEdwardII。
EdmondDickenson，inhisworkonthe“QuintessencesofthePhilosophers，“says，thatRaymondworkedinWestminsterAbbey，where，alongtimeafterhisdeparture，therewasfoundinthecellwhichhehadoccupied，agreatquantityofgoldendust，ofwhichthearchitectsmadeagreatprofit。InthebiographicalsketchofJohnCremer，AbbotofWestminster，givenbyLenglet，itissaid，thatitwaschieflythroughhisinstrumentalitythatRaymondcametoEngland。Cremerhadbeenhimselfforthirtyyearsoccupiedinthevainsearchforthephilosopher’sstone，whenheaccidentallymetRaymondinItaly，andendeavouredtoinducehimtocommunicatehisgrandsecret。Raymondtoldhimthathemustfinditforhimself，asallgreatalchymistshaddonebeforehim。Cremer，onhisreturntoEngland，spoketoKingEdwardinhightermsofthewonderfulattainmentsofthephilosopher，andaletterofinvitationwasforthwithsenthim。RobertConstantinus，inthe“NomenclatoreScriptorumMedicorum，“publishedin1515，says，thatafteragreatdealofresearch，befoundthatRaymondLulliresidedforsometimeinLondon，andthatheactuallymadegold，bymeansofthephilosopher’sstone，intheTower；thathehadseenthegoldenpiecesofhiscoinage，whichwerestillnamedinEnglandthenoblesofRaymond，orrose-nobles。Lullihimselfappearstohaveboastedthathemadegold；for，inhiswell-known“Testamentum，“hestates，thatheconvertednolessthanfiftythousandpoundsweightofquicksilver，lead，andpewterintothatmetal。[ConvertiunaviceinaurumadLmilliapondoargentivivi，plumbi，etstanni——LulliiTestamentum。]ItseemshighlyprobablethattheEnglishKing，believingintheextraordinarypowersofthealchymist，invitedhimtoEnglandtomaketestofthem，andthathewasemployedinrefininggoldandincoining。Camden，whoisnotcredulousinmatterslikethese，affordshiscountenancetothestoryofhiscoinageofnobles；
andthereisnothingatallwonderfulinthefactofamanfamousforhisknowledgeofmetalsbeingemployedinsuchacapacity。Raymondwas，atthistime，anoldman，inhisseventy-seventhyear，andsomewhatinhisdotage。Hewaswillingenoughtohaveitbelievedthathehaddiscoveredthegrandsecret，andsupportedtherumourratherthancontradictedit。HedidnotlongremaininEngland；butreturnedtoRome，tocarryouttheprojectswhichwerenearertohisheartthantheprofessionofalchymy。HehadproposedthemtoseveralsuccessivePopeswithlittleornosuccess。ThefirstwasaplanfortheintroductionoftheOrientallanguagesintoallthemonasteriesofEurope；thesecond，forthereductionintooneofallthemilitaryorders，that，beingunited，theymightmovemoreefficaciouslyagainsttheSaracens；and，thethird，thattheSovereignPontiffshouldforbidtheworksofAverroestobereadintheschools，asbeingmorefavourabletoMahometanismthantoChristianity。ThePopedidnotreceivetheoldmanwithmuchcordiality；and，afterremainingforabouttwoyearsinRome，heproceededoncemoretoAfrica，aloneandunprotected，topreachtheGospelofJesus。HelandedatBonain1314；