selves
in a large and handsome house, which was abandoned by everybody,
because it was haunted by a spectre which frightened away all those
who wished to live in it; they laughed at such discourse, and took up
their abode there.

At the end of a month, as Ayola was sitting up alone in his chamber,
and his companions sleeping quietly in their beds, he heard at a
distance a noise as of several chains dragged along upon the ground,
and the noise advanced towards him by the great staircase; he
recommended himself to God, made the sign of the cross, took a shield
and sword, and having his taper in his hand, he saw the door opened by
a terrific spectre that was nothing but bones, but loaded with chains.
Ayola conjured him, and asked him what he wished for; the phantom
signed to him to follow, and he did so; but as he went down the
stairs, his light blew out; he went back to light it, and then
followed the spirit, which led him along a court where there was a
well. Ayola feared that he might throw him into it, and stopped short.
The spectre beckoned to him to continue to follow him; they entered
the garden, where the phantom disappeared. Ayola tore up some handfuls
of grass upon the spot, and returning to the house, related to his
companions what had happened. In the morning he gave notice of this
circumstance to the Principals of Bologna.

They came to reconnoitre the spot, and had it dug up; they found there
a fleshless body, but loaded with chains. They inquired who it could
be, but nothing certain could be discovered, and the bones were
interred with suitable obsequies, and from that time the house was
never disquieted by such visits. Torquemada asserts that in his time
there were still living at Bologna and in Spain some who had been
witnesses of the fact; and that on his return to his own country,
Ayola was invested with a high office, and that his son, before this
narration was written, was President in a good city of the kingdom (of
Spain).

Plautus, still more ancient than either Lucian or Pliny, composed a
comedy entitled "Mostellaria," or "Monstellaria," a name derived from
"Monstrum," or "Monstellum," from a monster, a spectre, which was said
to appear in a certain house, and which on that account had been
deserted. We agree that the foundation of this comedy is only a fable,
but we may deduce from it the antiquity of this idea among the Greeks
and Romans.

The poet[313] makes this pretended spirit say that,