OED etymology (for what it's worth) has this to say:
"Only known in early ME.; prob. a. MDu. or LG. kremp-en (:kramp-jan), causal of krimp-en; cf. CRAMP."
Usage:
"a1250 Owl & Night. 1785 ef the thincth that ich misrempe, Thu stond aein and do me crempe. {Ibid. 509 A sumere chorles awedeth, And vorcrempeth, and vorbredeth.}"
I thought more of "cramp one's style."
OED etymology (for what it's worth) has this to say:
"Only known in early ME.; prob. a. MDu. or LG. kremp-en (:kramp-jan), causal of krimp-en; cf. CRAMP."
Usage:
"a1250 Owl & Night. 1785 ef the thincth that ich misrempe, Thu stond aein and do me crempe. {Ibid. 509 A sumere chorles awedeth, And vorcrempeth, and vorbredeth.}"
Related perhaps to "put a crimp in?"
(Obsolete) To contract, restrain.