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[The Courte of Vertu

contaynynge many holy songes, Sonettes, psalmes and ballettes] [by John Hall]

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The anotomy or particular description of a byrchē broome or besome:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The anotomy or particular description of a byrchē broome or besome:

In the composition or makyng wherof, are conteyned, iii. notable Iustices or purgers of vices.

A byrchen besome that ye a broome calle.
Is made of a wyth, a staffe, and twygs smalle:
By whych all folke of eche age and estate,
May gouerned be, yf nourture they hate,
As fyrst the smalle twygges do serue a good shyft,
The buttockes of boyes to hoyse vp or lyft.
From which it is sometymes nedefull to draw,
Abundance of bloud to kepe them in awe.
The haft of the broome lyke purpose shall serue,
To shrub well theyr backs that strypes do deserue
And namely such knaues that are growne so bygge
That they nothyng set by any small twygge.
Therfore is the staffe a toole for the nones,
To canuys theyr backes, or kydgell theyr bones.

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Then thyrdly the wyth wyll hang by the necke
Such theues as feare not the strype nor the checke.
Thus in euery house .iii. Iustices reigne,
Whyche the byrchen besom well doth conteyne:
The hygh and the meane, and also the lowe,
Theyr offices all, ought eche man to know:
By whom al such men must nedes passe theyr way
The rules of reason that wyll dysobaye,
The highest Iustice the necke wyll out stretche,
The low from buttockes wyl skyn & bloud fetche,
The meane must nedes shrobin the shoulders stout
Of eche stubbern varlet lubber or loute,
The lowe Iustyce nowe he that wyll reiect,
Nor his lyfe by rule and compas direct,
Neglectyng the small, he stireth the great,
The hafte of the broome the shoulders must beat,
By which back beatyng yf he wyll not mend
The with must hym hang, and so hys lyfe end.
Lo thus may they see that wisely behold,
The besome hath vses many a folde,
Besides that for which most men do them kepe,
Namely theyr kitchens or houses to swepe:
For he hath office mens vices to purge,
By thre Iustice rules, that sharply wyll scurge.
For who so euer they doo in hand take,
Either good or dead they wyll hym sure make:
Good, if by vertue from vyce they wyll vary,
Dead, yf by vyces they doo the contrary.