Marthanda Varma, the king, occasionally displayed a certain level of tolerance towards Christians. He graciously accepted a specially crafted cot from De Lannoy, which featured a Cross intricately sculpted into its timber. Furthermore, he permitted a Christian priest to bless his house, donning the cope during the ceremony. These actions greatly angered the Brahmins, who vehemently opposed such displays of acceptance. Meanwhile, Fr. Buttari was in the process of constructing a church on land donated by the Prince, who was set to succeed the king in the kingdom of Travancore. The Prince himself had granted permission for the church's construction. Devasahayam, who maintained contact with this Prince, became a target of the enemies of the Christian faith. They eagerly awaited an opportunity to incite the king's animosity towards the Christian religion and turn him against Devasahayam.
