MOLSA (Francis Maria), an eminent poet of the 16th century, was born at Modena. He gained so prodigious a reputation by his Latin and Italian poetry, that, as Paul Jovius tells us, "for 30 years together the patrons of wit at Rome strove to promote him." If he had behaved with the least prudence, he might easily have raised himself to considerable preferments and fortunes in the world; but he managed so ill that it was not possible to serve him.—He was entirely debauched, and at the same time devoid of all prudence and decency in the management of his pleasures. Hence he destroyed his reputation, and put an absolute stop to the progress of his fortunes. He died, in 1544, of the French disease. Molsa was a great orator as well as a great poet. He met once with a favourable opportunity of displaying his talent this way; for having seen the people of Rome highly incensed against Lorenzo de Medici, who had struck off the heads of a great number of ancient statues, he accused him of that action, and (according to Paul Jovius) made so lively an oration upon it, that he perfectly overwhelmed him with confusion and despair; and it was generally believed that Lorenzo de Medici was so confounded at the infamy with which he was branded in that oration, that, in order to efface it, he resolved to restore the city of Florence to its liberty, by assassinating Alexander de Medici his near relation, which he did in 1537.