Obs. Also 7 fact’ress. [f. as prec. + -ESS.] A female factor or agent.
1608–11. Bp. Hall, Epist., V. 1. (1627), 363. Still the Deuill begins with Eue … Marcion had his factoresse at Rome.
1638. Ford, Fancies, III. iii. Your fact’ress hath been tamp’ring for my misery.
1668. R. L’Estrange, Vis. Quev. (1702), 190. These are our best Fact’resses, we have for doing Bus’nesses.
1722. Lond. Gaz., No. 6094/3. Mrs. Ann Harland … Coal-Factoress.
