Note: Didn't have time to test duplex esc sequence above so just set it via the
Menu!
      But I had to create a seperate env file so duplex(payroll check on one
side and
address on the other side would line up correctly! Without this env called
checks,
(See below), I had the same alignment problem you had.

     For backup alternatives, to get the checks to print on a LJ4Si I had to use
 FONT=45
and for a LJ8000 I had to use FONT=81. Everything else stayed the same.

:EDIT
/T NPCONFIG.PUB.SYS
    1     #This is NPCONFIG.PUB.SYS
    2     #
    3     global                                   # Global Definitions
    4           (jam_recovery = TRUE               # Reprints jammed by itself
    8            SETUP_FILE = lpnew1.HPENV.SYS  #SHOULD BE DEFAULT ALSO
/T LPNEW1.HPENV.SYS
/C" " TO #ESC # IN ALL
    1     ESC ZESC E
    2     ESC &l 1x 0o 0s 1l2a 8.00c 3e 61F <-----(SPACES FOR READABILITY ONLY)
    3     ESC &k 2G
    4     ESC &a 1L
    5     ESC ( 10U
    6     ESC ) 10U
    7     ESC (s 0p 16.67h 8.5v 0s 0b 0T
    8     ESC )s 0p 16.67h 8.5v 0s 0b 0T
    9     ESC &d@
/T CHECKS.HPENV.SYS
    1     ESC ZESC EESC &l 7e 0o <---FOR ALIGNMENT: TOP MARGIN=7 LINES/PORTRAIT

Note: Didn't have time to test duplex esc sequence above so just set it via the
Menu!
     But without it, I had the same alignment problem you had(one side ok but
other
side didn't line up, 1st check ok but 3rd, 5th were wrong etc). Hope this helps

:FILE NEWCHECK;DEV=621,1,1;ENV=CHECKS.HPENV.SYS
:SPIFF                  <----SPOOLER UTILITY
SPIFF A.00.01  (C) COPYRIGHT HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. 1992
> T 5634
> COPY ALL,*NEWCHECK
> E

:SHOWOUT
DEV/CL   DFID       JOBNUM  FNAME    STATE FRM SPACE RANK PRI #C
621      #O5695     #S3078  NEWCHECK READY      3120   D  1   1
621      #O5634     #J1234  PRTFIL   READY      3120   D  1   1

:SPOOLF #O5695;PRI=13;DEV=621

Note: We use Quiz to also Load HP Soft Fonts as follows:
      You might be able to use some of these esc sequjences in your Cobol
program?

    3     ; PROGRAM NAME  : LASERESC
   17
   18       DEFINE ESC1 INT*2 SIZE 2 = 27
   19       DEFINE ESC2 CHAR*2       = CHAR(ESC1)
   20       DEFINE ESC  CHAR*1       = ESC2[2:1]
   22
   23     ; FONT MANAGEMENT
   25       DEFINE FONT-TEMP CHAR*5 = ESC + "*c4F"
   26       DEFINE FONT-PERM CHAR*5 = ESC + "*c5F"
   27
   29     ; STROKE WEIGHT
   31       DEFINE SW-LIGHT CHAR*6 = ESC + "(s-3B"
   32       DEFINE SW-MED   CHAR*5 = ESC + "(s0B"
   33       DEFINE SW-BOLD  CHAR*5 = ESC + "(s3B"
   34
   35     ; LINE DRAWING
   37       DEFINE VER-LINEON CHAR*4 = ESC + "&dD"
   38       DEFINE VER-LINEOF CHAR*4 = ESC + "&d@"
   39
   40     ; POINT SIZE
   42       DEFINE PT-SIZE8   CHAR*7 = ESC + "(s8.5V"
   43       DEFINE PT-SIZE24  CHAR*6 = ESC + "(s24V"
   44
   45     ; PITCH SIZE
   47       DEFINE CPI10      CHAR*6 = ESC + "(s10H"
   48
   49     ; USE TO RESET BACK TO CPI10 AFTER USING A SIGNATURE FONT
   50       DEFINE CPI10RESET CHAR*21 =ESC + "(8U" + ESC + "(s0p10h12v0s0b3T"
   51
   52       DEFINE CPI12      CHAR*6 = ESC + "(s12H"
   53       DEFINE CPI16-6    CHAR*8 = ESC + "(s16.6H"
   54
   55     ; PAPER SOURCE
   57       DEFINE LOWER-TRAY CHAR*5 = ESC + "&l4H"
   59     ; PAGE LENGTH
   61       DEFINE PAGE-60    CHAR*6 = ESC + "&l60P"
   62       DEFINE PAGE-63    CHAR*6 = ESC + "&l63P"
   63       DEFINE PAGE-66    CHAR*6 = ESC + "&l66P"
   64       DEFINE PAGE-70    CHAR*6 = ESC + "&l70P"
   65
   66     ; LINES/INCH
   68       DEFINE LPI-6      CHAR*5 = ESC + "&l6D"
   69       DEFINE LPI-8      CHAR*5 = ESC + "&l8D"
   70       DEFINE LPI-10     CHAR*6 = ESC + "&l10D"
   71       DEFINE LPI-12     CHAR*6 = ESC + "&l12D"
   74
   75     ; PAGE SIZE
   77       DEFINE EXEC-SIZE   CHAR*5 = ESC + "&l1A"
   78       DEFINE LETTER-SIZE CHAR*5 = ESC + "&l2A"
   79       DEFINE LEGAL-SIZE  CHAR*5 = ESC + "&l3A"
   80
   81     ; RESET PRINTER
   83       DEFINE RESET-LASER CHAR*2 = ESC + "E"
   84
   85     ; PAPER CONTROL
   87       DEFINE EJECT       CHAR*5 = ESC + "&l0H"
   88
   89     ; PAPER ORIENTATION
   91      DEFINE LANDSCAPE   CHAR*13 = ESC + "&l1o8D"  + ESC + "&a10L"
   93      DEFINE PORTRAIT    CHAR*05 = ESC + "&l0O"
   94
   95     ; MARGIN SETTING
   97     DEFINE LEFTMAR      CHAR*06 = ESC + "&a10L"
   98     DEFINE EDGEMAR      CHAR*08 = ESC + "&l1003A"
   99     DEFINE TOPMAR       CHAR*05 = ESC + "&l4E"
  100
  101     ; SIGNATURE FONTS -- transmit id # to the LJ for Chairman's signature
  103     DEFINE LOAD-ID100   CHAR*07 = ESC + "*c100D"
  104     DEFINE LOAD-ID200   CHAR*07 = ESC + "*c200D"
  105     DEFINE LOAD-ID300   CHAR*07 = ESC + "*c300D"
  106     DEFINE LOAD-ID400   CHAR*07 = ESC + "*c400D"
  107
  108     ;  SIGNATURE FONTS FOR ID # 100 for Chairman of the Board signature
  110     DEFINE SIGN-400     CHAR*34 = ESC + "&10O" + ESC + "(12U" + ESC + &
  111                         "(s0p12.00v3.00h0s0b102T"
  113     DEFINE LINE1-400    CHAR*08 = "!a#$%&b("
  114     DEFINE LINE2-400    CHAR*08 = ")*+,-./0"
  115     DEFINE LINE3-400    CHAR*08 = "12345678"
  116     DEFINE LINE4-400    CHAR*08 = "9:;<=>?@"
  117     DEFINE LINE5-400    CHAR*08 = "ABCDEFGH"
  118     DEFINE LINE6-400    CHAR*08 = "IJKLMNOP"
  119     DEFINE LINE7-400    CHAR*08 = "QRSTUVWX"
  120     DEFINE LINE8-400    CHAR*08 = "YZ[\]c_d"
  121
  159     ;SIGNATURE FONTS - transmit esc sequence to make font software perm
  161     DEFINE SIGN-PERM    CHAR*05 = ESC + "*c5F"
  162
  165     ;FONT SIGNATURE OVERLAY FOR THE SIEMENS 2030 PRINTER
  168
  169     ;DEFINE CAPO-SIGN    CHAR*27 = ESC + "&f16Zc:\pcl5\caplegal" + &
  170     ;                               ESC + "&f4X"
  172     ;FONT FOR THE HEWLETT PACKARD PRINTER
  173
  174      DEFINE CAPO-SIGN    CHAR*34 &
  175       =  ESC + "&l0O" + ESC + "(15\" + ESC + "(s0p12.00v3.00h0s0b194T"