BALES (BALESIUS), PETER English calligraphist, one of the inventors of shorthand writing, was born in London in and is described by Anthony a Wood as a "most dexterous person in his profession. . . ." John Evelyn speaks of him as having written, in the year 1575, "the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, Decalogue, with two short prayers in Latin, his own name, motto, day of the month, year of the Lord, and reign of the queen, to whom he presented it at Hampton Court, all of it written within the circle of a single penny, inchased in a ring and borders of gold, and covered with a crystal, so accurately wrought as to be very plainly legible ; to the great admiration of her majesty, the whole privy council, and several ambassadors then at court." Bales was very dexterous in imitating handwritings, and between 5576 and 1590 was employed by Secretary Walsingham in certain political manoeuvres. He was at the head of a school near the Old Bailey, London, in 159o, in which year he published his Writing Schoolemaster, in three Parts. This book included an Arte of Brachygraphie, which is one of the earliest attempts to construct a system of shorthand. He died about the year 161o.