second lieu, & l'autre qui reste a la gauche, n'a que le troisieme.
Mais en France, quand l'on se promene au long d'vn mur; par ce que
ce lieu est presque toujours plus eleue & plus net a cause de sa
pente, la coutume porte presque par tout qu'elle soit laissee au
plus qualifie, & particulierement quand deux personnes marchent
ensemble.

If you happen to take a walk with them, always give them the place
of honour, which is that pointed out by usage. To speak generally,
it appears that several nations have made it a custom that the
right should always be held as a mark of esteem, so that, when any
one wishes to honour another, he will put him on his right, himself
taking the left. When three are walking together, he of the highest
quality always has the middle: he who takes the right has the
second place, and the other who remains on the left has the third.
But in France, when walking by the side of a wall, that place being
almost always higher and cleaner because of the slope, the custom
almost always is that it be yielded to the man of the highest
quality, and particularly when two are walking together.

31st. If any one far Surpasses others, either in age Estate, or Merit
[yet, in any particular instance,] would give Place to a meaner than
himself [in his own house or elsewhere] the one ought not to except it,
So [the other, for fear of making him appear uncivil, ought not to
press] it above once or twice.

Chapter iii. 9. Si celuy qui se trouuera beaucoup plus avance en
age, ou auantage en dignite, soit en sa maison ou en quelqu'autre
lieu, veut honorer son inferieur, comme il n'est pas a propos que
cet inferieur s'en estime digne, de mesme aussi ne faut-il pas que
celuy qui est superieur, l'en presse auec trop de soin, ou luy
temoigne sa deference plus d'vne ou deux fois, de crainte que
l'assiduite de sa supplication reiteree ne rabatte quelque chose de
la bonne opinion que celuy qui le refuse, avoit conceu de son
addresse & de sa courtoisie, ou qu'il luy fasse commettre enfin une
inciuilite.

If he who is much the older, or has the advantage of rank, wishes,
in his house or elsewhere, to honour his inferior, as it is not
fitting that such inferior should think himself worthy, so also the
superior must not press him too much or show such deference more