Busk
A busk (also spelled busque) is the rigid element of a corset placed at the centre front.
In stays, the corsets worn between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries had busks that were intended to keep the front of the corset straight and upright. They were made of wood, ivory, or bone slipped into a pocket and tied in place with a lace called the busk point. These busks were often carved and decorated, or inscribed with messages, and were popular gifts from men to their sweethearts.