She had another grand Masquerade on 6 February 1771, to which the price of admission was two and a half guineas. The same Royalty was present, and also the leading Nobility—Among the masques were five devils, a bear, and, worst of all bad taste, a shrouded corpse in a coffin, (said to be a brother of Colonel Luttrell), but he was, after a short time, ejected by some pseudo sailors.
The Female Coterie.
From this time her fortunes declined—she was twice fined £50 for performing Operas, under the guise of harmonic meetings, and Guadagni, her principal vocalist, had been fined £50 for singing in the same, and these musical performances were put a stop to.
But, in spite of all her enemies could do to her, she still had some friends, if we can believe the London Chronicle, 19-21 February 1771.
"A certain D——s, who is a principal promoter of the New Opera House, declared, lately, she would persist in support of Mrs. C., whatever was the consequence, 'for,' said she, 'I hate the thoughts of mixing with any body merely because they have half a guinea in their pocket; and that such scums should sit on the same bench, and think themselves on a level with the first nobility!' 'I agree with you' (says Lady A——r), 'and am grieved to think that we are, one day or other to mix in heaven with the dregs of the people.' 'God forbid' (says the D——s), 'I should ever be in such company.'"
The Subscription balls, and Masquerades still went on—and she instituted a society called "the Coterie," which had not the reputation of insisting on the strictest morality on the part of its members.
This coterie broke up. The Pantheon was built, and opened, in opposition to her. Perhaps she was extravagant, but, anyhow, from some cause or other, she became bankrupt, and was so gazetted on the 9th Nov. 1772, as a "chapwoman, and dealer in gloves." Her goods were sold in Dec. 1772, and it must have been a famous sale, as the Catalogues, to admit two, were five shillings each.
She, herself, was taken to a debtor's prison, where she could not have stopped very long, as there are advertisements of Masquerades conducted by her, at Carlisle House, in the spring and summer of 1773.
She was again a bankrupt in Dec. 1774, and Carlisle House was advertised to be sold. Still, somehow or other, she must have found friends, with money, to help her, for she issued an advertisement, 15 January 1776. "Mrs. Cornelys most respectfully takes the liberty to acquaint the nobility, and gentry, that, through the kind assistance of her friends, she is again reinstated in Carlisle House, on her own account."