CABINET is also used in speaking of the more select and secret councils of a prince or administration. Thus we say, the secrets, the intrigues of the cabinet. To avoid the inconveniences of a numerous council, the policy of Italy and practice of France first introduced cabinet councils. King Charles I. is charged with first establishing this usage in England. Besides his privy council, that prince erected a kind of cabinet council, or junto, under the denomination of a council of state; composed of Archbishop Laud, the earl of Strafford, and Lord Collington, with the secretaries of state. Yet some pretend to find the substance of a cabinet council of much greater antiquity, and even allowed by parliament, which anciently settled a quorum of persons most confided in, without whose presence no arduous matter was to be determined: giving them power to act without consulting the rest of the council. As long since as the 28th of Henry III. a charter passed in affirmation of the ancient rights of the kingdom; which provided, that four great men, chosen by common consent, who were to be conservators of the kingdom, among other things, should see to the disposing of moneys given by parliament, and appropriated to particular uses; and parliaments were to be summoned as they should advise. But even of these four, any two made a quorum: and generally the chief justice of England and chancellor were of the number of the conservators. Matth. Par. 28. Henry III. In the first CabinetBCable. of Henry VI. the parliament provides, that the quorumfor the privy council be six, or four at least; and thatin all weighty considerations, the dukes of Bedford andGloucester, the king's uncles, should be present; whichseems to be erecting a cabinet by law. Circumf. Threads. Weight. CableBCabot. 5 inches. 121 484 pounds. 6 174 696 7 238 952 8 311 1244 9 393 1572 10 485 1940 11 598 2392 12 699 2796 13 821 3284 14 952 3808 15 1093 4372 16 1244 4976 17 1404 5616 18 1574 6296 19 1754 7016 20 1943 7772 CABIRI, a term in the theology of the ancient Pagans, signifying great and powerful gods; being a name given to the gods of Samothracia. They were also worshipped in other parts of Greece, as Lemnos and Thebes, where the Cabiria were celebrated in honour of them: these gods are said to be in number four, viz. Axieros, Axiocersa, Axiocersus, and Casmilus.