In 1823, the Church of England clergyman William Stephen Gilly made the first of several trips to the Vaudois or Waldensians, a Christian community living in the mountains of Piedmont in north-western Italy. Waldensian beliefs held much in common with those of Protestant churches, indeed they had aligned themselves with Calvinism in 1532, but they had their origins in the 12^th century and had been declared heretical by the Roman Catholic church. During the Reformation and for much of the seventeenth century, they faced persecution from the rulers of France and Savoy. However, by the end of the eighteenth century, as they increasingly began to enjoy religious freedom, Waldensians became a curiosity for Protestant travellers who sought to learn more about their faith and hoped to support the community.

Gilly’s account of the region, first published in 1824, remarked on the beautiful scenery of the Alps in addition to exploring the history of the Waldensians. It brought them to the attention of British readers and the book reached a third edition in 1826. Gilly’s efforts also saw the establishment of a subscription to raise funds for the church headed by George IV and Shute Barrington, Bishop of Durham. Gilly's Narrative was dedicated to the king, and this is probably the copy that was bound for presentation to him.

Due to its splendid binding, this book was one of those selected by Olwen Hedley in the 1960s as a fine example of bookbinding in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. Hedley’s ‘Additional Bookbindings’ serve as a supplement to the catalogue of fine bindings compiled in 1893 by the Royal Librarian Richard Rivington Holmes.