Use of first seal and Scribe A, who penned documents dating to 1172 and 1174, point to the period 1173 × 1174, when David (unsuccessfully) claimed the earldom of Huntingdon. It is possible that he continued to use his first seal after his accession to the earldom in March 1185. See Stringer, <em>Earl David</em>, 235, for full explanation of dating.