In 1679, he became an advocate, but he never practised law. Soon after, he joined the army. The revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, and the death of his father led him to move to England with his brother. Inclined to a military career, but unable to find work, he went on to the Dutch Republic where he enlisted in a company of French army cadets at Utrecht, commanded by his cousin, Daniel de Rapin. Rapin met the 15-years-old Jean de Bodt and seven-year old Jean de Collas also Huguenots.Meinert, Günther, "Bodt, Jean de" in: Neue Deutsche Biographie 2 (1955), S. 363 [Online-Version]; URL: https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/pnd119547252.html#ndbcontent They accompanied William III to England in 1688 (Glorious Revolution); Collas became a page of the queen Mary II of England.
