Yes, it was set to lowercase.
I set it to Default.

Looked through the code but could not see anything untoward.
Even pressed Enter at the end of each line in case there was some characters to the far right off screen... but no.

Note that Define and Include comes up in Code Explorer, on the left in MCSP, regardless of the case used for those statements.

I then opened my original .PBP deleted the @DEVICE line and typed in the Config stuff, compiled and loaded.
Still the same problem.
I then restored my original .PBP and deleted the @DEVICE line, compiled, set OSC to HS in the programmer and loaded.
Still the same problem.
I then opened a new file and copied and pasted the entirety of the original file, deleted the @DEVICE line, and set the Config bits in the programmer.
Still the same problem.

The only thing that worked was as in a few posts above where I opened a new file, hand typed the lines needed to get Serout working and then pasted in the balance of my program.
If there is a corruption then it must be at the top but I cannot see it after scanning that section a bunch of times.
Hmmm...