Annotations

Miracles men's faith do move: The language used in this line sets up an analogy to the last line in this stanza, There's a religion in our Love. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the first use of miracle in 1160 as "A marvellous event not ascribable to human power or the operation of any natural force and therefore attributed to supernatural, esp. divine, agency; esp. an act (e.g. of healing) demonstrating control over nature and serving as evidence that the agent is either divine or divinely favoured."

FRIENDSHIP'S MYSTERYS:
TO MY DEAREST LUCASIA

Come, my Lucasia, since we see
    That miracles men's faith do move,
By wonder and by prodigy
    To the dull, angry world let's prove
    There's a religion in our Love.            5

For though we were design'd t'agree,
    That fate no liberty destroys,
But our election is as free
    As Angells, who with greedy choice
    Are yet determin'd to their Joys.         10

Our hearts are doubled by their loss,
    Here mixture is addition grown;
We both diffuse and both engross:
    And we, whose minds are so much one,
    Never, yet ever, are alone.

We court our own captivity,
    Then Thrones more great and innocent:
`Twere banishment to be set free,
    Since we weare fetters whose intent
    Not bondage is, but Ornament.           20

Divided Joys are tedious found,
    And griefs united easyer grow:
We are our selves but by rebound,
    And all our titles shuffled so,
    Both Princes, and both subjects too.

Our hearts are mutuall victims lay'd,
    While they (such power in friendship ly's)
Are Altars, Priests, and off'rings made,
And each heart which thus kindly dy's,
Grows deathless by the sacrifise.            30