The constituencies of East Looe and West Looe were incorporated as parliamentary boroughs in 1571 and 1553 respectively, surviving as rotten boroughs with each returning two MPs to the unreformed House of Commons until the Great Reform Act of 1832. For example, Admiral Sir Charles Wager, a son and grandson of Kentish mariners, held the seat as MP for West Looe early in (1713–1715) and at the end (1741–1743) of his political career. The seal of East Looe was blazoned "An antique one-mast vessel in it a man and boy against the side of the hulk three escutcheons each charges with three bends", with the legend "Si, comunetatis de Loo". The seal of West Looe was "An armed man holding a bow in his right hand and an arrow in his left", with the legend "Por-tu-an "vel" Wys Westlo".