Friendship's Mystery

<--- Katherine Philips as "Orinda"

This is a poem written to Katherine's friend Anne Owen. The first thing I wonder is who is she speaking of when she says "To the dull angry world let's prove there's a religion in our love."? Is she speaking of the women and men; or is she speaking of her and Anne? Maybe she is speaking of a friendship love between her and her friend? She seems to be telling of their mutual feelings and situations. That they, as women, were "designed t' agree". Their "election is as free as angels"? She must be speaking of electing friendships, since women couldn't elect anyone or even make decisions then. Even as they "diffuse and both engross" they still remain together at heart. I think she says that they are alone all the time and they date their "captivity", but that it's not confinement or restricted but that they are there for looks, they are there for an "ormament" on their men's arms. That if they feed the friendship it will never die. Their hearts are both the same, they both have been hurt and share their pain, but they give love to each other to keep theirselves going on.