John Hales (died 1 January 1608) was the owner of the Whitefriars in Coventry at which two of the Marprelate tracts were printed on a secret press.

[7] Two of the Marprelate tracts, Certain Mineral and Metaphysical Schoolpoints and Hay Any Work for Cooper, as well as John Penry's A View, were printed at the Whitefriars by Robert Waldegrave.

Henry Sharpe, who had bound the printed copies of the Marprelate tracts, later gave evidence implicating Hales, Knightley, and the Wigstons, and a special commission appointed on 16 November 1589 by the Privy Council ordered their interrogation, having concluded that: Sir Richard Knightley, Roger Wigston and John Hales have been acquainted with the printing and publishing of the said books, and have been favourers and abetters of the said Martin Marprelate in his disordered proceedings.

[13] Hales denied all knowledge of the nature of the books printed on the secret press, and protested, in excuse of his actions, that: He had great reason, as he thought, to gratify Sir Richard Knightley in anything, to whom he owed much reverence, as he that had married his aunt'.

His wife, who took upon herself the blame for persuading her husband to allow the printing of the tracts at their house, was fined £1000 and similarly imprisoned at the Queen's pleasure.