The evidence as to the portraits then is conflicting and value-
less, and contradicted by the family narrative. Stowe, who on
all matters connected with Drake's early life is very accurate, is
quite explicit, and there seems no adequate reason to reject his
statement. On the other hand it is in some way confirmed by
the fact that Sir Francis Russell, who was his godfather, was
only seventeen years old in 1545. Had Drake been born much
earlier Russell would have been quite a boy when he was
christened, and it does not seem to have been usual for boys to
stand as sponsors. The only reason for fixing on an earlier
date seems to be a statement in the 'Inquisitio post mortem'
that Thomas his youngest brother was 'forty or more' when
Drake died in 1596, but this is too vague to weigh against
Stowe's explicit statement.