I assume you are refering to Touchstone's bizarre comemnts
to Rosalind during his conversation with her and Celia in this scene. When he is
questioned by Rosalind and asked where it was that he learned the "oath" that he has
expressed, he replies:
Of a certain knight that swore by his honour they
were good pancakes, and swore by his honour the mustard was naught. Now I'll stand to
it: the pancakes were naught and the mustard was good, and yet was not the knight
forsworn.
This is typical
frippery and foolishness from Touchstone that nevertheless reveals his intelligence and
ability to play with words as Touchstone's "oath" leads to a succession of jokes and
puns on honour and foreswearing. Pancakes were a traditional dish for Shrove Tuesday, a
time of chaotic festivities to prepare for the Lenten fast. Touchstone says he learnt
the oath from a knight who swore that the pancakes he was eating were good but the
mustard on top of them was bad. Touchstone says it was the opposite, pointing out the
humour of concepts such as honour and forswearing.
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