In 1602 Portuguese priest Fr. Antonio De Gouvea notes that the Thomas of Cana copper plate grant which had been kept safe at the Portuguese factory of Cochin was by this point lost due to the "carelessness" of the Portuguese themselves. De Gouvea states that the loss of the plates had greatly angered the Knanaya who had no other written record of their history and rights to defend themselves from local kings who by this point were infringing on their position.