Also 6 concelour, concealor. [a. Anglo-F. concelour, f. conceler: see -ER1 and 2: cf. CONCEAL.]
1. One who conceals.
1514. Fitzherb., Just. Peas (1538), 142. Every suche person so offendinge, theyr ayders … concelours [etc.].
1533. More, Debell. Salem, II. xv. p. lxx. Ryottes be open thynges and enquyrable, with paynes also set vpon ye concelours, yet many great ryottes go by vnfounde & ye concelours neuer spoken of.
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., II. vii. (1588), 203. If he do wilfully conceale that hunting … then the same concealement shal be Felonie in such concealor.
1590. Greene, Never too late (1600), 45. As I will be a friendly counseller, so I will be a faithful concealer.
1658. Ussher, Annals, an. 3961 (R.). Rewards to them that would tell him of them, and punishments to the concealers.
1820. Q. Rev., XXIII. 82. Abettors, Concealers, and Receivers of their Spoils.
† b. Law. In 17th c., applied to persons who surreptitiously procured a grant of fictitious or obsolete Crown rights, in order to disturb possessors who had long held lands in good faith. Obs.
App. resting entirely upon the use of the word in 39 Eliz. c. 22, where it does not appear to be a technical term, but to be simply applied to persons who concealed the truth or material facts to the injury or prejudice of others; but by writers in the 17th c. apparently associated with CONCEALMENT 1 b: see note ¶ below.
1597–8. Act 39 Eliz., c. 22. They the said Concealors have conveyed the said premysses or some parte thereof unto others not ignorant of the said fraud and yll practize, whoe have by collor of the said pretended title attempted to trouble the possession of divers the Tennants and Farmors of the said Bysshopprick. Ibid. Neither yet her Maiestie tooke any knowledge of any suche pretended title, neither meant to passe any such to the said Concealors.
1623. Sir T. Crew, Sp., in Rushw., Hist. Coll. (1659), I. 118. The good Bills against Monopolies, Informers and Concealers may now pass [Act 21 Jas. I., c. 2: see CONCEALMENT].
c. 1630. Coke, 3rd Inst., 188 (Commenting on 21 Jas. I., c. 2). Against Concealours (turbidum Hominum genus) and all Pretences of Concealements whatsoever … Certain indigne and indigent persons, prying into many ancient titles of the crown … have passed surreptitiously in letters patents … the mannors lands tenements and hereditaments of long time enjoyed by the subjects of this realm.
c. 1670. Hobbes, Dial. Com. Laws, 56.
¶ The following absurd account of the word was copied verbatim by Blount from Minsheu, and thence passed down in the Law Dicts. to Wharton, and so into modern Dicts.
1617. Minsheu, Ductor, Concealors in the Common Law, bee such as find out Concealed Lands, that is, such Lands as privily are kept from the King by common persons, having nothing to show for them, Anno 39 Eliz c. 22. They be so called … by an Antiphrasis, or contrarie speaking, because indeed they do not conceale suche lands, but reueale them. Ut mons a mouendo.
Hence † Concealeress, a female concealer.
1611. Cotgr., Receleresse, a concealeresse; also a woman that priuily receiueth stolne goods.
