Lpc2000

Hello All,
I have been using the SPI interface on a LPC2131 with good success so 
far.  Now, I am trying to interface an LCD controller (HT1621) and 
found a strange issue.  The LCD must have it's data written 12 bits
at 
a time.  So I configured the SPI control register to operate in this 
mode.

S0SPCR      =   0x0C24;

which sets 
bit#2: The SPI controller sends and receives the number of bis 
selected by bits 11:8
bit#5: Yes, I am using the LPC as a master
bits#11:10: Selects 12 bits per transfer

However, when I step thru my code, and look at the S0SPCR register,
it 
is written with a 0x0424!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For some reason bit 11 does not get written?  Consequently, this is
an 
undefined state for the register and it goes off into the wild blue 
yonder and never stops sending out clock pulses.

I am able to stop the program and manually change the register 
contents and I get the expected 12-bits shifted out.

Anybody ever experience this??  Is there a work around?

Also I am new to LCD's never programmed one before, the format of the 
data looks really strange.  If anybody knows some good tricks for 
interfacing an LCD with a serial interface, I would be grateful. 
But, 
for now I am really stuck with the problem at hand.

Thanks,
Dave B.