Evidently, taking over the British Isles, France, Germany Denmark, Sweden and Norway gives you chronic awesomeness disease. On turn 50 with 31 provinces, I *can't* lose money even if I try -- a startling situation to be in, given my experience with other campaigns. Buying expensive buildings in every province, funding huge armies, and sending people lots of bribes just isn't enough to keep me from making 10,000 - 20,000 florins in profit every turn.

Moral: thou shalt love the English Channel with all they heart, with all thy merchants, and with all thy florins.