Synonymous with the phrases "how are you" or "how are you going". Most likely derived from literal translations of similarly structured forms in European languages, such as the German "wie geht's", the Dutch "hoe gaat het" and the French "comment ça va".
"How goes it" is non-standard and is generally used as a somewhat quirky informal alternative to the more conventional questions. In this sense, the phrase may have a somewhat humorous effect.
(1) Interlocutors may respond in the same way as they would to the more conventional "how are you".
A: "How goes it?"
B: "I'm well."
(2) Alternatively, interlocutors may acknowledge the facetious nature of the structure "how goes it", and respond in kind.
"How goes the enemy?" Is a common question in Britain, it has the same meaning as What time is it?!
This term was inspired from the princible of the time being our enemy.
It could be an expression from modern French. The expression "comment ça va?" (literally "how it goes?"). This is an informal expression meaning "How are you?".
How goes it is a phrase recoined in suburban California, near Folsom. The true reviver of this phrase is not known, but we are sure to find him/her out soon.