but the poor men have most of them
been forced to borrow all the money due for their wages before they
receive it, and that at a dear rate, God knows, so that many of them
had very little to receive at the table, which grieved me to see it. To
dinner, very merry. Then Sir George to London, and we again to the
pay, and that done by coach home again and to the office, doing some
business, and so home and to bed.

28th (Good Friday). At home all the morning, and dined with my wife, a
good dinner. At my office all the afternoon. At night to my chamber to
read and sing, and so to supper and to bed.

29th. At the office all the morning. Then to the Wardrobe, and there
coming late dined with the people below. Then up to my Lady, and staid
two hours talking with her about her family business with great content
and confidence in me. So calling at several places I went home, where
my people are getting the house clean against to-morrow. I to the office
and wrote several letters by post, and so home and to bed.

30th (Easter day). Having my old black suit new furbished, I was pretty
neat in clothes to-day, and my boy, his old suit new trimmed, very
handsome. To church in the morning, and so home, leaving the two
Sir Williams to take the Sacrament, which I blame myself that I have
hitherto neglected all my life, but once or twice at Cambridge.

[This does not accord with the certificate which Dr. Mines wrote in
1681, where he says that Pepys was a constant communicant. See Life
of Pepys in vol. i.]

Dined with my wife, a good shoulder of veal well dressed by Jane, and
handsomely served to table, which pleased us much, and made us hope
that she will serve our turn well enough. My wife and I to church in
the afternoon, and seated ourselves, she below me, and by that means the
precedence of the pew, which my Lady Batten and her daughter takes, is
confounded; and after sermon she and I did stay behind them in the pew,
and went out by ourselves a good while after them, which we judge a very
fine project hereafter to avoyd contention. So my wife and I to walk an
hour or two on the leads, which begins to be very pleasant, the garden
being in good condition. So to supper, which is also well served in.
We had a lobster to supper, with a crabb Pegg Pen sent my wife this
afternoon, the reason of which we cannot think; but something there is
of plot or design in it, for we have a little while carried ourselves
pretty stra