[1][2] Nils and Margaret Mattson arrived in the colony of New Sweden in present-day southeastern Pennsylvania on May 22, 1654, on the ship Orn.
[6] This occurred nineteen years after the Swedish territory became a British common law colony and subject to English Witchcraft Act 1603.
[6] A petit jury of 12 men was selected by Penn and an interpreter was appointed for the Finnish women, who did not speak English.
[12][6] A popular legend tells of William Penn dismissing the charges against Mattson by affirming her legal right to fly on a broomstick, saying "Well, I know of no law against it.
"[1][8] The record fails to show any such commentary, but the story probably reflects popular views of Penn's socially progressive Quaker values.