Francis Drake fabricated noble lineage to counter social climber jibes

Evidence

Those jibes about the upstart, the social climber, were having some effect, and Sir Francis’s initial reaction was to deny his humble origins, and insist that his family had, after all, been distinguished. — John Sugden, Sir Francis Drake, 668

Categorization

• XREF: XREF tracks Drake’s social anxieties and attempts to establish aristocratic lineage.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — John Sugden, Sir Francis Drake, 668