▁ 1 4 9 4 , ▁when ▁Charles ▁VIII ▁inv aded ▁the ▁city , ▁and ▁Pope ▁Clement ▁VII ▁escaped ▁to ▁safety ▁through ▁it ▁during ▁the ▁S ack ▁of ▁Rome , ▁in ▁ 1 5 2 7 . ▁ ▁Catholic ▁pri ests , ▁in ▁Britain , ▁used ▁hidden ▁rooms ▁called ▁priest ▁holes ▁to ▁escape ▁Protest ant ▁per sec ution , ▁starting ▁from ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁Queen ▁Elizabeth ▁I . ▁▁ 1 6 0 0 – 1 9 0 0 ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 7 3 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 7 4 0 s ▁a ▁secret ▁tunnel ▁between ▁The ▁Ol de ▁Bell ▁and ▁the ▁nearby ▁The ▁Mer ma id ▁Inn ▁in ▁R ye , ▁East ▁Sus sex ▁was ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁Haw kh urst ▁Gang ▁for ▁sm ugg ling . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 8 9 , ▁at ▁the ▁out set ▁of ▁what ▁would ▁become ▁the ▁French ▁Revolution , ▁angry ▁demonstr ators ▁in ▁Paris ▁march ed ▁in ▁the ▁streets ▁and ▁storm ed ▁the ▁Bast ille . ▁The ▁revolution ▁spread ▁to ▁smaller ▁towns , ▁where ▁tax ▁offices ▁were ▁attacked , ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁coun tr ys ide , ▁where ▁pe as ants ▁attacked ▁rich ▁nobles ▁living ▁in ▁man or ▁houses ▁and ▁cast les . ▁Many ▁French ▁royal ty ▁and ▁nobles ▁fled ▁to ▁Austria , ▁Russia ▁or ▁Britain . ▁In ▁October , ▁a ▁mob ▁of ▁ 7 , 0 0 0 ▁demonstr ators ▁march ed ▁to ▁the ▁Royal ▁Palace ▁at ▁Vers a illes . ▁Although ▁the ▁mob ▁managed ▁to ▁overcome ▁the ▁palace ' s