William Bonde was a monk of the Bridgettine Order who served at Syon Abbey until his death in 1530, shortly before the Bridgettines began to oppose the Reformation in England. The Pilgrimage of Perfection, written by Bonde and first published by Richard Pynson in 1526, is a comprehensive treatise on the Catholic religious life. Directed at those with responsibility for the care and cure of souls, it outlines a journey of spiritual progression from simple catechisms to meditative prayer. It is one of the last books written about Catholic practice in England before the turbulent break from Rome in the early 1530s.

The Pilgrimage was one of many devotional books and pamphlets issued by Syon Abbey between its establishment by Henry V in 1415 and dissolution under Henry VIII in 1539. Syon was the only Bridgettine monastery in England and ranked among the wealthiest, possessing a vast library for the use of its monks and nuns. Following the introduction of the printing press to England, the Abbey commissioned texts aimed at a wider public, particularly women, in order to provide spiritual guidance in their faith. Bonde himself wrote at least two other books on similar themes: The Directory of Conscience (1527) and A Devout Treatise for Those that are Timorous and Fearful in Conscience (published posthumously in 1534 and 1535). The Royal Library copy of The Pilgrimage of Perfection is the second issue, printed at London by Wynkyn de Worde in 1531.

Binding information
Calf, blind finishing with five raised bands in a gothic style with gilded edges and a single headband.