Rastell was born at Gloucester in 1532, was admitted into Winchester School in 1543; and went on to New College, Oxford, of which he became a perpetual fellow in 1549.
Being unable to comply with the religious changes in Elizabeth's reign, Rastell left his college, and went to Louvain.
He removed to Antwerp in 1564, and subsequently went to Rome, where he entered the Jesuit novitiate of St. Andrew 6 April 1568, being, for a short time, fellow-novice with St. Stanislas Kostka.
Rastell was moved to Augsburg, and finally to Ingolstadt, where he was appointed vice-rector of the college of his order.
Rastell was a determined antagonist of Bishop John Jewel, and published the following: A catalogue of 'English Popish Books,’ printed by John Strype, includes Rastell's Return of Untruths, which was responded to by Jewel.