Sir Thomas Hoby matriculated at St John's in 1545, but left two years later, without taking a degree, in order to travel. A convinced protestant, he spent some time with the reformer Martin Bucer and avoided returning to England under Mary I. His most notable achievement was his English translation of Castiglione's Il cortegiano (The courtier), which proved highly influential both in terms of standards of etiquette and literary style. This volume bearing his initals on the covers, and his inscription, is a Venetian edition of Dante's Divina commedia of 1544.

Given by Henry John Hoby.