"A sneer probably upon Clifford, Ashley, Burlington, Arlington,
Lauderdale, who were called the CABAL in King Charles II.'s time,
from the initial letters of their names.--See _Echard_, vol. iii.
p. 251."
Your correspondent E. H. D. D. may be glad of these two quotations, and
I quite agree with him in ascribing an earlier date than that mentioned
by Burnet to the word "cabal" in the sense of "a secret council." The
transition from its original sense was easy and natural, and the
application to King Charles's confidential advisers ingenious.