A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Molsa, (Tarquinia)
Her father observing, even in her infancy, the excellence of her genius, procured her the best masters in every branch of literature and science. Lazaro Labadini, a celebrated grammarian, taught her polite literature; and her Latin compositions, both in prose and verse, are sufficient proofs of her attainments in writing and composing correctly. She became learned in Aristotle, under Camillo Corcapani. Anthony Guarini, the mathematician, taught her the doctrine of the sphere. She learned poetry, under Francis Patricius, the famous philosopher; and logic and philosophy, under P. Latoni, who also instructed her thoroughly in the Greek tongue. The principles of the Hebrew language were taught her by Rabbi Abraham; and the politeness of the Tuscan tongue she learned of John Maria Barbier; in which last she not only wrote a great number of easy and elegant verses, but likewise several letters, and other pieces, which are highly esteemed by the learned in Italy. Besides her original works, she has translated several things from Greek and Latin, in a manner which convinces us she understood those languages as well as her own. She afterwards learned music, as a relaxation and diversion from her more serious studies; and in this art attained a surprising degree of perfection; used to play upon the violin, as well as upon the flute, and sing to it at the same time in a manner which marked exquisite taste; she instituted a choir of ladies, and became their president. The eulogium, which Francis Patricius, one of her tutors, has given her, deserves attention; as it is supposed not to exceed the truth, though written in the highest strains of panegyric.
This lady was in high reputation at the court of Alphonsus II. duke of Parma, a prince of great judgment, and a passionate lover of eloquence. But the most authentic testimony and declaration of her high merit and character, was that which she received from the city of Rome; which, by a decree of the senate, in which all her excellencies and qualification are summed up, in 1600 honoured her with the title of Singular, and bestowed the rights of a Roman citizen on her, and the whole family of Molsa. Part of the patent runs thus: 'Though it be new and uncommon for the senate to admit women into the number of citizens, whose excellencies and fame, as they ought to be confined to family affairs, are seldom of service to the common wealth in public matters; yet if there be any one among them, who not only surpasses the rest of her own sex, but even the men, in almost all virtues, it is reasonable, that by a new example, new and unusual honours should be paid to new and unusual merit. Since therefore Tarquinia Molsa, a native of Modena, &c. resembles by her virtues those famous Roman heroines, so that she seems to lack nothing, but being a Roman citizen, that this alone might not be wanting to complete her glory, the senate and people of Rome have decreed to present her with the freedom of the city, &c.'
She was the wife of Paulus Porrinus, but losing him, would never consent to be married again, although then young and without children. She gave such lively tokens of her grief, that Patricius compares her to another Artemisia.