The Act of Explanation was not intended to alter anything in the Act of Settlement, but only to clear up doubts and supply omissions. Ormonde repeatedly declared that almost any permanent arrangement would be better than none, Ireland being a prey to uncertainty in the meantime. There was not land enough to satisfy everybody and it was necessary that each party should sacrifice something. In Ireland the English party had agreed to surrender one-sixth of what the Act of Settlement gave them, but the Irish agents in London thought this too little, and it was then arranged that 1,800,000 Irish acres of profitable land should be assigned to the English and the rest to the Irish. The latter being still dissatisfied, the English party consented to have the one-sixth raised to one-third, and upon that basis the Bill was settled by Finch with the help of a committee consisting of the Duke of Ormonde and of all the Irish Privy Councillors then in London, including Orrery and Anglesey, with the Commissioners of Claims excepting Smith, who seems not to have left Ireland. Clarendon wished the Bill to be strictly explanatory and opposed all provisos in favour of particular persons, as he had done in the case of the Act of Settlement, and all material alterations in the draft sent from Ireland. 'To what purpose,' he said, 'is Poynings' Act that all Acts shall be transmitted from thence hither if we under pretence of mending an Act shall graft new matter into it that hath not the least relation to the matter prepared there.' Both he and Ormonde were opposed to such provisos. But he was overruled, for Charles's good nature or indolence had induced him to give many promises, which had to be redeemed. 'The first thing a King should learn,' said Temple after some experience of the reigning monarch's ways, 'is to say No, so resolutely as never to be asked twice, nor once importunately.' That lesson was never learned by Charles II., and the wrangle about the interests of particular persons continued for nearly a year after Ormonde's arrival in England.[42] [Sidenote: Provisions of the Bill agreed to.]