Question

What did English people think about the Pilgrims/Puritans?

Answer 1

Your average Englishman regarded the Puritans as little more than dogmatic, holier-than-thou annoyances. Usually they were mocked or were objects of derision (Shakespeare was a master at this with his puritannical characters set up as fools or hypocrites - e.g. Malvolio) but most of the time the Puritan cry for faster reform in the Anglican church was ignored.

Answer 2

The English people wanted to persecute anyone who did not believe in the religion that the did, which was Protestantism. The pilgrims and Puritans were part of this group and to escape religious persecution, the sailed to the New World to worship how they wished.