1. The action or professional service of a factor; the action of buying or selling (goods) on commission. Also attrib.
1670. Sir T. Culpepper, Necess. Abating Usury, 8. Trading with our own stocks, honest Partnership, and discreet Factorage.
a. 1734. North, Lives, II. 367. A celebrated house of factorage in Constantinople.
a. 1834. Lamb, Mr. Liston, Misc. Wks. (1871), 406. Satisfied with the returns of his factorage.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., VI. XX. vi. 143. Himself once a Preacher, but at present concerned with Factorage of Wool on the great scale.
2. Commission or percentage paid to a factor on goods purchased or sold by him.
1613. F. Robarts, Revenue of Gospel, 100. Carriage, factorage, impost and custome.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 111. Hee that exceedeth his Commission shall lose his Factoridge.
1721. C. King, Brit. Merch., III. 214. To engross the whole Profit of Commission and Factorage to themselves [Spaniards].
1809. R. Langford, Introd. Trade, 70. Factorage 1s. per Quarter.
1852. M’Culloch, Dict. Comm., Factorage … is also frequently charged at a certain rate per cask, or other package.
† 3. The place of business of a factor; an agency.
1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 108. The Cheesmongers of London have thought it worth their while to set up a Factorage here, for these commodities [butter and cheese].
4. collect. a. The whole body or assemblage of factors: see FACTOR sb. 5. b. The sum total of constituent elements: see FACTOR sb. 6.
1849. Tait’s Mag., XVI., 12/1. The importance of the factorage was raised enormously in their own esteem.
1887. F. Robinson, New Relig. Med., 127, These, were the factorage analyzed, might crop up as constituents seldom absent.
